Tomorrows Moments
by Assilem
Summary: We saw what happened on the Odyssey for 50 years, but what happens when they don't have the stress of being together alone for 50 years
1. Chapter 1

In some ways, she wanted to know what happened upon the Odyssey, in others, she wanted nothing to do with it. Sure, she was curious, but what if she didn't like what happened on the ship, or what she became, or for that matter, what everyone else became. There were too many what ifs, of how everyone reacted to the situation. Teal'c was strong, stronger than them all, to keep their "what if" lives a secret.

Sometimes she wanted to know, most, she didn't. She didn't want to think of the relationship that might have been, decayed, destroyed, erased and broken. Her fear was that she lost Daniel, as everything, and she couldn't and wouldn't want to live without him She wouldn't admit it aloud but Daniel meant the world to her, and she wasn't going to loose that by knowing what happened.

She cared for Daniel, much more than she truly intended to, and was going to do everything she possibly could to prevent them not being able to be together. Even just being with him the way they were, she would be happy, not truly happy, but happy enough.

"Hey Vala, can you had me that?" a voice shook Vala out of her thoughts and looked at Daniel, whose head was buried in the book he was reading, and pointing absently to something on the table.

"What?"

"The pencil, can you hand me that?" he asked again, a hint of exasperation in his voice. Vala smiled and handed him the pencil, as she leaned over the table to see what he was working on. "Yes?"

"Just curious Daniel," she smiled brightly before settling back down in her seat, turning her attention to the Nintendo DS in her hands.

Daniel looked over and smiled as she sat enthralled in her video game. He couldn't believe at times, Vala was in his life, granted he never outwardly showed how much she meant to him, but it was enough, enough that she knew, he hoped.

He wasn't sure what he felt for Vala was anything substantial, except deep friendship. Okay, so maybe it was deeper than that, because he felt differently to Valal than he did for Sam. Sam was like a sister, Vala was nothing like a sister, he couldn't imagine Vala being like a sister to him, that was wrong on so many levels. For Vala, he determined, she was a friend, nothing more, nothing less than a dear friend, who he cared about, far more than he should a friend.

Shaking his head, he smiled at the woman, who made life seem like it was new, and exciting. She was everything he wasn't, his complete polar opposite, and somehow, he never felt anything like this before. Not with Sarah, not with Sha're, not with Janet. He loved all of them, differently…

Sarah was his first love, someone who admired what he did, and stood by him, until her happiness was at stake, and then she left him. He loved her, or at least, a facsimile of love, he was sure now, that what he felt for Sarah was something akin to adoration. Oddly, or maybe not so oddly, he only thought of Sarah when trying to come to terms with his feelings for Vala.

Then there was Sha're, he loved her, truly loved her, but if she was love of his life, probably not. It took him a decade to get over her death, but he was sure, that if Vala ever died, he would never get over her, never get over the laugh, the smile, the feeling that filled his heart and soul, the way that being with Sha're never did. It didn't mean he didn't love her, on the contrary, he loved her with all he had at that point in his life. Then she was gone. And he came to the conclusion that yes he loved Sha're, but he lost her and had to move on.

Then there was Janet, beautiful, insightful, loving, amazing Janet Fraiser, who was never really his, but he cared for so deeply, it was devastating the moment her life was taken. He was never sure if he would get over the moment when someone, not just anyone, but a woman he could love, and was taken far before he was ready to let her go.

Then he met Vala Mal Doran, who beyond all his barriers, all his safe guards to keep from getting hurt, wormed her way into his life and heart. Not that he'd ever admit it to her of course. Well, maybe, one day. He just wasn't sure that the relationship could work, could be the one he was searching for, the one that he let the women he 'loved' be taken from him.

He wanted what Sam and Jack have. Granted a relationship that is hidden and revealed only in the most private moments of their lives, and friends. He sometimes didn't understand why their relationship had to be hidden, it was their choice, but when they got the chance to be together, the love that surrounded them was infectious.

Except, he wasn't sure he was ready for a relationship like that with Vala. That intense, or even of that caliber. He wasn't ready, or was he?

"And then, Danny boy here, oh he decided to die," Jack smiled, tipping the neck of his beer bottle towards Daniel, one arm draped around Sam's shoulders, holding her too him, as he regaled Vala and Cameron with stories of SG-1, and their not so fine moments.

"Die?" Vala asked from the floor, as she was leaning against Daniel's legs, balancing her wine glass on her knees.

"Oh yes, turns out he was just swimmin' away in the ocean," Jack winked as Vala turned around and looked up at Daniel.

"Daniel! How many times have you died?" she asked, her eyes burning his with her gaze.

"Only, like three, well, I ascended, so that doesn't really count as me dying," Daniel explained, it was evident that the alcohol he had consumed was having an affect on his brain. Usually he did not like to talk about his deaths, far too painful.

"Anyway! Danny here, he got us into more trouble than he's worth," Jack continued.

"Not entirely true Jack, you got us into one or more situations that weren't Daniel's fault," Sam continued.

"And sometimes it was your fault," Daniel pointed directly at Sam, who shook her head.

"I'm making Jack take the blame for those instances," she winked taking a sip of her wine.

"Sure blame it on me," the general grumbled in good humour. Vala laughed and looked up at Teal'c, who was sitting stoically in his chair.

"What do you say Muscles?" she asked with a large grin.

"I am at fault of no ill mission," he explained cocking his head to the side, and giving a Teal'c smirk. The roars of laughter broke throughout the room, and Daniel felt Vala lean farther into his legs. He smiled at the warmth of her body against his legs, and wished his brain wouldn't stop him from pulling her into his arms on the couch. But his brain was logical, his brain told him that it was wrong to do that, that he didn't really didn't feel anything important for Vala.

Vala leaned farther into Daniel's legs, and felt a warmth of emotion fill her body. Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the company, maybe it was Daniel lowering his inhibitions and allowing her in, whatever it was, it was something both comfortable and new. It wasn't that she didn't love spending time with the entire team, and General O'Neill, she did, but any moment that Daniel let down his guards, and allowed more than just his friends in, let more of herself in. She realized, breaking down Daniel's walls was going to be a process the moment she confided in Sam, but it was taking longer than she anticipated.

She had never realized how much she actually cared for Daniel, until she almost lost him. Never before, had she felt the same way she did about Daniel, he was something, someone who changed her entire world. She wasn't going to outwardly admit it of course, but she loved Daniel, in love? She wasn't sure, but she definitely loved him. At least, that was the only term she could attribute to the way Daniel made her feel.

"Well, I hate to break up this party, but I gotta get some sleep!" Cameron announced standing up, his feet a tad bit wobbly, probably caused by the amount of empty bottles of wine and beer that stood beside the back door.

"I will drive you home ColonelMitchell," Teal'c said standing up as well, as the only truly sober one present. "DanielJackson, ValaMalDoran would you also like a ride to the base?"

"You know what, sure," Daniel said nodding his head, looking down at Vala who's head was leaning against his knees. "We have a briefing in the morning anyway."

"Can't say I miss those," Jack yawned as he let go of Sam, who stood up.

"I miss the missions," Sam smiled. "I'm so glad we got to see all of you."

"As are we ColonelCarterO'Neill," Teal'c smiled bowing his head. Sam smiled brightly at the use of her newly married name and looked toward Daniel and Vala. "Take care of him while we're gone. Daniel is too much a work-a-holic."

"I wouldn't talk Sam," Daniel winked, as he grabbed Vala's hand, helping her stand up.

"Hey, at least I'm taking a vacation!" the blonde defended, with a look of fake hurt on her face.

"It's your honeymoon, I'm pretty sure Jack wouldn't let you bring work with you if you tried," Cameron remarked.

"True, no work, just fishin'," Jack smiled as Sam rolled her eyes. Vala smiled and leaned over, hugging her friend.

"Text me everything!" Vala grinned brightly giving Sam a wink, as the blonde laughed. Vala had to admit, it was wonderful having Sam back, the boys although she loved them, wasn't the same as being with a woman, talking about girl things. She knew Mitchell tried to do things with her, and Teal'c listened, and Daniel, well, Daniel…it wasn't the same. "I'll miss you."

"Me too," she smiled into the hug.

"Come on Vala," Daniel said softly touching the raven's shoulder.

"Okay Daniel," she sighed giving Sam another quick squeeze before taking a hold of Daniel's hand. Lowered inhibitions or not, both sparked, but their grip tightened. It didn't go unnoticed by their team, who choose not to comment, in fear it would scare the two apart. They were like undomesticated animals, a noise would scare them apart, and they would never return to the place they were: Limbo.

The drive to the base was quiet, as the effects of their night wore into their bodies, and the liquor started to make each of them lethargic. Vala's head dropped to his shoulder, as Teal'c drove through the streets of Colorado Springs. Cameron sat in the front seat, explaining why he prefers to fly than drive, a few quips coming from Teal'c, but mostly silence from the back seat.


	2. Chapter 2

2009-February

"So when are you and Jack going to have a baby?" Vala asked as she leaned onto the counter of Sam's lab, staring at the woman, still tanned from her honeymoon.

"What?" Sam asked, with a surprised laugh, staring at her friend. "What brought that on?"

"Well, you're married now Samantha, isn't the rule on earth, fall in love, get married, and have babies?" she asked with a trademark Vala smile. Sam smiled and shook her head in good humour.

"We haven't really talked about it," Sam shrugged. "We're really getting used to this whole, being married thing."

"Oh that's easy! The best part is the practicing for a baby!"

"Vala," Sam smiled shaking her head. "Jack and I, this is new for me, I've never been married before. It's a new experience every day."

"You really love him?"

"With all my heart," Sam smiled. "Now tell me, anything progressing with Daniel?"

"No," Vala sighed. "What is with him? Does he just not like women?"

"He's been hurt Vala, a lot," Sam said softly. "You know about Sha're, yes?"

"Of course, not a lot, she was killed right?" Vala asked absently.

"She was taken hostage by a Goa'uld, and Daniel searched for her, for years, before she finally died. Daniel loved Sha're, like really loved her, and he never really had a chance to fully say goodbye.

"Then, I don't think he'd ever admit it, but Janet's death…that really hurt him. I'm sure he was finally ready to move on, and then she was killed by yet another Goa'uld, Ba'al. Then there is you, a former Goa'uld, and someone, who I have to say, I've never seen Daniel react to in such a way. I think, and I know Daniel, that he truly cares, he's just afraid, that you might be the one who would break his heart for the last time. You just have to break away those walls around him."

Vala looked at her friend, and smiled. Of course she knew Daniel was married, and she knew that she died, but Daniel failed to mention how much he really cared for this woman named Janet. Janet…

"Daniel? Who's Janet?" Vala asked sitting in on his stool as the archeologist walked into his lab.

"What?"

"Janet, who is she?" Daniel stared at Vala as his face softened, she guessed with comfort of talking.

"She, she is Cassandra's mother," Daniel said with a wave of dismissal.

"No, she's someone else, Daniel…"

"Look, I don't know what you…" he started before Vala stood up and interrupted him.

"Daniel, it's okay to say you're afraid, to say you miss Sha're, and Janet, but you can't just shut me out!"

"We're not having this discussion," Daniel dismissed.

"Yes we are Daniel! I am so sick of you shutting me down, I know you're afraid, but Daniel, it's not fair to me, if you are afraid tell me!" Vala demanded, her voice strong and determined.

"Vala! Not here," he said, anger flashing in his eyes. Vala stood tall, not letting Daniel control the situation.

"Then where Daniel? Because this is getting old?" her hands found her hips, and her eyes stared Daniel down.

"Come with me," he growled turning heal, and Vala followed. As they walked through the corridors, the tension grew; and the personnel on base avoided the two, as their steps grew quicker and heavier. The ride in the elevator was tense, and the poor airman who was stuck between them, sunk into the back of the elevator, waiting until he could get off. As soon as the doors opened, the airman bolted, at top speeds, as Daniel and Vala marched out. Opening his quarters door, he waited until Vala was in the room before slamming the door.

"Do you believe that I could have any kind of serious feelings for you?" he demanded staring at her. She could tell that he was angry, angrier than she'd ever seen him before, but she wasn't backing down, no way, no hell. She didn't come this far to loose.

"I wasn't suggesting you have serious feelings, Daniel. But there is something there!" she threw back

"Oh, oh-what so we just sleep together once? Than what? We work together! You know even saying that part out loud sounds unbelievable," laughing bitterly, Daniel continued; "Come on! I mean I can't even imagine what-what a relationship with you would be like?"

Vala took a breath, and turned around, all her pent up rage turned into all the sorrow she could imagine. Daniel continued on his rant, as a tear rolled down her cheek. She never thought when she approached Daniel to finally come down to the bottom of their cat and mouse game, she never imagined his words would sting, breaking her heart into a million pieces, as he went off how she was an emotional unstable wreck. It was true, she was, but he was far worse, at least she would admit it. But nevertheless, his words chipped away at her heart, making everything he said, that much more devastating.

"But not in a million years, a million, million years would I ever possible consider that person being you!" he raged, as she shut her eyes, trying to muster the courage to fight back, she started this after all. Every poisonous word he spoke, the more and more she lost the ability to stand up, and fight for herself.

She never once imagined Daniel would react like this, not when she played out every situation in her head, the good and bad. And nothing, nothing she imagined lead to this. Wiping the tears that have fallen from her face, she let out a sniffle, trying to hold back the outpour of emotions.

She can feel Daniel's gaze move from her, and her body shivers slightly, as she attempts to shake off the pain of his words.

"Don't act like your hurt." She hears him say, but she doesn't respond. She can't think of words, and merely pulls her shift over her head. She had never felt so bear and vulnerable, but she remained where she was, no getting up, not running away, staying, the one thing she was never good at.

She assumed her silence caught him off guard, not something she was particularly known for, because she felt his eyes back on her, and his weight next to her. Taking a breath, she turned away, begging for a moment in silence.

"Hey…" she felt his hand touch her back, to get her to turn toward him.

"Just give me a minute."

"Look at me," his soft voice barely reaching her ears. She was afraid, and hurt, and didn't want to look at Daniel, as she begged silently, for him to leave her alone. She started this, but she wasn't sure she wanted this to finish. The moment she felt his hand on her cheek, her world started spinning again.

She felt his eyes on her, once again, before his lips touched hers.

Outside the door, Teal'c stood, examining his watch. One year from this date, on the Odyssey, their child was due to be born. He wondered if time would play out the same.


	3. Chapter 3

March 2009

"You know what I wonder?" Vala asked in a whisper, not trying to gauge any attention their way, as they sat, as per usual, for morning breakfast of French toast, coffee and waffles.

"What's that?" Daniel asked softly, not looking up from his morning paper. Vala moved her plate to the side, leaving only the crust and syrup, licking her lips she looked around once more, and then spoke.

"I think Muscles knows about us," she said, with a shrug.

"Why do you think that?" Daniel asked, folding the paper, searching her grey eyes.

"Well, he looks at me, with this weird look, like he knows!" she explained picking up his coffee mug and taking a sip. Daniel always had the best coffee she'd ever tasted. Daniel shook his head, and let her take his coffee, he had to admit, it always tasted better on her lips anyway.

Since their blow out, or should he say, his blow out, the two had become involved. Exactly 3 weeks. Daniel was unsure of how to define their relationship, he just knew he was in one for the first time since Sha're. And was more than okay with it. With Vala, it felt strangely right, but

"I'm sure its nothing, don't be paranoid," he said reaching over taking his mug from her hands. "We stick to what we talked about, it'll be fine."

"Darling, I don't know why you can't just scream to the rooftops about us," Vala sighed, leaning back in her chair, folding her arms over her chest.

"Vala," Daniel said, his voice even softer. "I don't want to ruin what we have by publicizing everything. We're okay."

Vala smiled and looked at Daniel, with a sigh she looked around. She understood where he was coming from, and she understood his feelings. They hadn't outwardly said I love you, but she knew he did, in some way. The fluttering of butterflies in her stomach she felt every time she felt his skin on hers, or the warmth of his hand burning through the fabric of her shirt.

"When the time is right, we'll let them know, for now, this needs to be about us…" he said softly, reaching across the table, taking a hold of her hand. His thumb rubbed over the top, and Vala lowered her head in a smile. Holding for a mere moment, Dnaiel squeezed her hand, and let go, "I should get to work. You helping Sam today?"

"I think so yes," Vala replied feeling the loss of his hand on hers. "Or did you need help today darling?

"No, no, help Sam. I'm just cataloguing today, she's getting ready for her mission on the Hammond right?"

"I think she's budgeting," Vala explained as she took the last bite of her breakfast.

"You know, I hear a position in accounting and payroll is opening up, you should think of taking it," Daniel suggested as Vala looked at him. "Think about it. I need to get to work myself. Have a good day, I'll see you at dinner?"

"Of course darling," Vala smiled waving, as she leaned back in her chair. She was looking for something real to do at the base, something concrete, something not off world, like Daniel. Granted they'd go off world here and there, but that was the end of it, there was nothing really, she could do, but help everyone else on base. She helped Daniel catalogue and translate, she sat with Teal'c and talked, she and Cam wrote reports, and filed a lot. With Sam, it depended on the day, sometimes they'd work in her lab, others, she'd be able to be the secretary of sorts, or they'd go over missions.

Meandering to the office above the gateroom, Vala thought about what she wanted in life. She wasn't sure yet, wasn't sure what she wanted to do with Daniel, she just knew he needed to be in her life.

"Vala?" Sam asked, stopping the raven haired woman from walking into the wall. "Watch out there."

"Thanks," Vala smiled as Sam held onto her shoulder. "You sure you're okay?"

"Yes, just lost in thought today," Vala explained before smiling. "Now let's chat money!"

Sam chuckled and shut the door, looking at her friend. She'd noticed the difference in both her and Daniel the past few weeks, and figured that they had finally come to terms with their relationship. She couldn't help but smile, as Vala was so out of it, in love.

She remembered when she and Jack just decided to be together, it wasn't a conversation, it wasn't really anything special, except for them. Holding hands, that was a big step for the two, let alone a kiss, and sex, and the choice to say screw what everyone thought, they deserved to be happy.

"You and Daniel huh?" she asked once the doors were shut, and smiling brightly at her friend.

"What? How did you know?" Vala asked staring at the new brunette colonel.

"I recgonise the happiness," Sam smiled, as she slid into her chair. "The smiles, the spacing out, you were thinking about him right?" Vala just laughed slightly, and slid into the chair opposite her friend.

"Its new, its…" she stopped as Sam smiled brightly. "…special, I just, we just…"

"You sound in love," Sam smiled happily. "I'm happy for both of you, really happy. Daniel deserves someone like you, and you deserve someone like him."

The rest of the day was spent working on the budget, but mostly talking, and a brief bout of painting nails, in which Vala filled in Sam of all the details of their new relationship, how they got where they were, and the future.

Vala loved being able to talk to someone, other than Daniel. About her love life, and Sam's brand new marriage, that as she said, was the greatest thing she'd ever experienced.

"Any luck on the baby front?" Vala asked finally at the end of the day. Sam sighed and shook her head.

"Jack isn't sure he wants a newborn, but he's willing to give it a go," Sam smiled. "I get it, I really do. I mean, a newborn, that's a lot of work, and then there is the whole Charlie thing, and I get it, I really do."

"What do you want though?" Vala asked leaning forward on her hands.

"I've always just wanted a little boy," Sam smiled happily. "To call my own, to hold, and cherish. I've always wanted a baby."

"You're going to be a terrific mum," Vala reassured her friend. "And Jack will love the baby, when you two have him. I promise." Sam smiled and touched her friends hand in thanks.

That night, as they lay in bed, Vala stroked Daniel's hair, as his head lay comfortably on her breast. "Daniel?"

"Vala?"

"What is this? What we have?" she asked softly, as she felt Daniel move onto his side, and plop himself up, so that he was above her, his blue eyes staring into her grey ones.

"This is us," Daniel replied softly. "This is the way we ended up, this is our relationship, this is us."

"Us, we're an us now?" she asked with a bright smile, her eyes twinkling.

"Yes, we're an us," Daniel said feeling her excitement as he leaned down and touched her lips with his own. Yup, officially an us.


	4. Chapter 4

May 2009

By now, everyone on base knew of the newest couple, and bets were being paid out. Daniel refused to buy into any of the games on base, and just shook his head as the two walked into the base, and the braver airmen were whistling.

The newfound publicity of their relationship was new to Daniel, he never was a fan of public displays of affection, and being with Vala meant a lot of that. When his best friends finally decided they were together officially, the money exchanging hands were far more discrete, and they had mere whispers, not outward conversations involving the couple. He had to admit, he preferred the silence of their relationship, not the public nature. But he had to get used to it, if he was going to be with Vala, and he was going to be, he had to learn that public was just being part of that.

Jack had started to make fun of him, saying how it was impossible for him to find a woman on Earth. He remembered the day they told the team.

Sam and Jack had invited them over for dinner, a monthly thing, since the two began their relationship. Jack would cook, as everyone knew Sam could burn water. They were doomed if they were to have children, as the only cooking Jack could do was with beer, and on a barbeque.

They showed up, hand in hand, last of course, Cameron and Teal'c were already there, and on their second, possibly third beer. Sam was laughing at something Jack had said from her spot on the lounger, and he was standing by the grill, pouring a beer on the steak.

He remembered she waved and pulled him onto the bench set Sam had placed on their deck, his arm instinctively went around her shoulder and Cameron's arms went up in the air, and everyone sighed, and said, 'finally!'

"Darling, I've been thinking," Vala explained as they stepped into the elevator. Her arms encircled Daniel's, and she leaned into his side.

"Why do I have a feeling you've been thinking too much?" Daniel asked good-heartedly, as he reached his arm around his body, and stroked her arm.

"I want to live off base," she smiled. 

"What?"" Daniel asked, not expecting to hear what came out of her mouth.

"I'm sick of living on base Daniel, I want to be able to leave when I want, and cook when I want, and not have to worry about airmen who can come and go in my room at any time. I want to leave the base Daniel."

Daniel sighed and nodded his head. He had to agree, it was getting a bit annoying the looks he'd get every time he'd enter or leave Vala's base room. And they never spent the night in her room, it was always in his, or at his place. It did make sense Vala wanted to branch out from the base, from her job.

"I think that's a great idea," he said after his moment of thought.

"Wonderful! Daniel this is exciting. I'm going to talk to Sam!" she bounced out of the elevator and towards Sam's lab. Daniel chuckled and shook his head, there were some days he thought Vala was a child, trapped in a woman's body. Her energy gave him life, he hadn't been as happy as he was before they got together. It had been two months, if that, and he'd never been happier.

Sure with Sha're, he was happy, he married her after all, but Vala, she was different. Made him smile, drove him crazy, and only wanted to do everything better, and all he wanted to do was be with her anyway.

"Yo Jackson, you gonna get off that elevator?" Cameron asked staring at his former teammate.

"Oh yeah," Daniel said shaking his head, and walking off the elevator.

"She got you lost in thought now?" Cameron teased as the two walked through the base.

"Just a bit," he replied. "When's the next mission?"

"Oh, um leaving at 1300, to Px4-6t8, some sort of guard duty," Cameron said with a roll of his eyes. "Enjoying the lab work?"

"Everyday, you wouldn't believe how much we have to catalogue, and translate, its refreshing doing work, and not getting shot at daily."

"Ah you miss it," Mitchell replied slapping Daniel's back with a crooked smile. "Oh hey, I'm thinking a team night soon?"

"Sure, I'll check with Vala and her schedule, what day were you thinking?"

"Dunno, gonna talk with Carter and Teal'c, he's heading back to see his kid, so we should probably hang out before then, though I promised Penny I'd meet her parents this weekend."

"The plunge huh?" Daniel chuckled, teasing his friend.

"Yeah," Cameron laughed shaking his head. "You got scot free with that one didn't you?"

"That I did," Daniel said after a thought. "Jacek and I didn't get along, and I'm sure Vala wouldn't want me to meet him, if we already met. She's not that big on the family thing."

"True, that'll change soon huh?"

"That's not even on the table yet," Daniel said shaking his head at his friend as they walked down the corridors.

"Oh that plate is already on the table, you just haven't been passed it yet," Cameron explained. "Like Mama always said, you're just looking at desert and not the full meal."

Daniel looked at Cameron and shook her head, and swiped his lab's door open. "Goodbye Cameron."

"Later Jackson!" he said with a big grin. Daniel shook his head and looked at his desk, the state of it, made him sigh loudly and he moved to tackle the never ending piles.

He was deep into work when he felt the familiar feel, and smelt the familiar smell that was Vala, before he knew it, her hands were wrapping around his shoulders, and he felt her body lean against him. "Hi."

"Hey," Daniel smiled as his cheek accepted the kiss Vala planted. "I thought you were going to talk to Human Resources."

"I did," Vala said moving around so that she stood at his side. "It's after lunch. You weren't there, so I came looking," she smiled softly.

"Oh, sorry," Daniel said squeezing her hand. "Tell me about what HR said?"

"That I would be far more suited doing something other than sitting in a back room counting money and writing cheques. They're going to see if maybe I can take a job with the new recruits," she explained letting go of his hand and picking up a few trinkets that still lay about his table.

"Doing what?"

"I don't know," Vala shrugged. "But it's something Daniel."

"Very true," Daniel nodded. He had to admit, when he had this time with Vala, that wasn't consumed with missions, or with the team, or sex, he really enjoyed just talking with her. Talking about what was going on with their lives, and what was going to happen, and generally, life. He loved Vala with everything he had, truly he did.

The rest of the afternoon, Vala puttered about his lab, helping where she could, and the two chatted about whatever they wanted. By the time four hit, he could tell Vala was bored, and he packed up for the day, unconsciously taking a hold of her hand as they walked through the base.

Vala was still chitterchattering about _something_, he was half paying attention as they walked. He only knew they would be going to his place, they'd order chinese, sit on the floor, eat chow mein and then end up making love on the floor.

Maybe he'd ask Vala to move in with him, instead of her getting her own place. That would be interesting, he hadn't lived with anyone for many years, and even then, Vala would more than just a roommate, and its not like he and Sha're really had privacy on Abydos.

Living with Vala would be something interesting, and he wouldn't admit it, even to Vala, but he loved waking up to her, even the days when feet would be at his head, or when they fought, because everyone knew they always fought, but the make up was the greatest thing in the world.

"Daniel, what are you thinking about?" she asked softly, a small smile plastered on her lips.

"You should just move in with me," he said suddenly, he didn't mean to blurt it out, but he did, and now it was out there.

Vala stared at him, and smiled. She reached up and touched his face, holding it between her hands. Daniel turned his face and kissed her palm, before looking at her again.

"On one condition?"

"Anything."

"House, not apartment, house," she said as Daniel smiled brightly and nodded. Vala's squeal of delight could be heard half way around the base, as she jumped into his arms. So maybe this was a little fast, but with Vala, it was anything but slow.


	5. Chapter 5

Late June 2009

"What's the word you want to say, when something is so screwed up you have no idea what to do?" Vala asked as she sat perched on Sam's workbench, staring at her friend.

"What's going on Vala?" Sam asked, concern spreading over her features.

"I'm pregnant again," Vala said head dropping so her dark hair covered her features. Sam looked at Vala and shock was the only term to describe her guppy mimicking her mouth did. "This planet has a stick that tells you, and I'm pretty sure the one," she continued holding out the pregnancy test, "says that I'm 3 weeks pregnant."

"Vala," Sam said staring at the test. "Daniel?"

"Yes," she sighed. "What do I do?"

Sam sat silently for a moment. She was a bit jealous, more than she wanted to be, she and Jack had been trying to conceive for a few months and no luck. And here was her friend, and her best friend's girlfriend, who didn't even have to try and she was pregnant.

"I think the best thing is to tell Daniel, and decide for now if you're going to keep the baby," Sam explained as Vala's eyes widened.

"What do you mean keep the baby?"

"Well, you can always abort the pregnancy. It's a surgical procedure that removes the embryo," Sam explained. "Didn't your planet have something similar?"

"No, a baby could only be born," she explained. "Are there a lot of unplanned babies?"

"More than you think," Sam explained. "However I think you should speak with Daniel."

"What do I tell him? Darling, I'm pregnant and I think we should keep the baby?"

"Essentially, look I don't have a lot of experience in this field, Jack and I are still trying, but being straight forward is the best."

"Still no luck?" Vala asked, knowing that the two had been trying for some time to get pregnant with no avail.

"No, we just have to keep trying," Sam replied sadly. "Vala, I'm happy for you, you and Daniel are having a baby!" she said almost excitedly as Vala smiled bright.

"A baby," she said shaking her head.

"I am really happy for you," Sam said taking her friend's hands in her own.

"You know, the last time I was pregnant, I gave birth to a child who wanted to kill me," Vala said point blankly. "How can I be sure I wasn't impregnated again by a race that wants to kill us all?"

"Well, this time you had sex, last, as far as I know you didn't," Sam said logically. "Secondly, you haven't been off world in months, and thirdly, well, you would know, right?"

"I think so," Vala nodded.

"Listen, if you want, I'll come with you to see the doctor," Sam offered, looking at her friend, who nodded.

"To find out for sure," Vala said.

"Exactly," Sam smiled standing up. Yup, life had changed drastically in the years, and she had to admit, she liked the change in her friends. Daniel, was like her appendage, they regularly didn't have problems with personal space, and spent a good deal of time laying in bed together after he returned from the dead, but with Vala entering his life, she noticed he pulled away slightly, giving excuses of spending time with Vala, and not her. She couldn't fault him, he seemed happy, and truly happy for the first time since she'd known him.

Vala sat on the infirmary bed, staring at the ceiling. Sam held her hand, and the proof she was in fact pregnant. Unbeknownst to both women, Teal'c entered the infirmary, and his hand rested on Vala's shoulder.

"Hi Muscles," she smiled, putting on a fake brightness.

"ValaMalDoran," he said softly, as Vala looked up and smiled at Teal'c.

"You know?" Bowing his head in agreement, Vala smiled. "Tell me Teal'c, is it?"

Thinking for a moment, Teal'c watched the worry on Vala's face, the fear in her eyes. He would have to say something, something of comfort. "A human child containing the DNA of yourself, and Daniel Jackson," he supplied, not wanting to tell her, than in his timeline, the child was lost three months from now. For it was true, in his reality, the pregnancy arrived at this time, and the only thing that was different, was the marriage of General O'Neill and Colonel Carter, and he assumed if General O'Neill was onboard the Odyssey, the two would have begun their relationship as well.

"We had a baby, on the Odyssey?" Vala asked, staring at the man. Sam's eyes widened.

"Teal'c?"

"This timeline is differing significantly from that I experienced," he said, trying to stop the questioning. It would only hurt both of them.

"But there are similarities? Significant ones?" Vala pressed, needing something concrete to tell her that this pregnancy was something everyone involved wanted.

"Indeed," Teal'c said softly. "ValaMalDoran, in my timeline and this one, DanielJackson will be as equally accepting at becoming a father." Vala nodded and looked at Sam, who was still focusing on Teal'c, with her eyes narrowed, in thought. "I do not wish to delve into this more, just know ValaMalDoran, that if you are in need of someone to talk to, please do not hesitate to come to me."

"Thank you," she said softly, squeezing his hand, before putting on her false bubbly nature and jumping off the bed. "I have to go! Daniel and I are having lunch."

Sam shook her head and watched her friend bounce out of the room. She never really thought she and Vala would be such good friends, but they were. And she thought, just thought, that this relationship between another woman, someone who was so unlike Janet and herself, could actually be what she always needed.

She had told him, alone, at dinner that night. He stared blankly at her, and she slid the small ultrasound picture that was taken that morning, and smiled hopefully. Daniel did nothing but stand up, move to his kitchen, and started digging around in a top cupboard, he emerged moments later, with a bottle of Crown Royal, opened it, and lifted it to his lips.

Vala watched him as he took a large swig, and set the bottle down on the counter, staring at her.

"Pregnant?"

"Pregnant," Vala replied. "Daniel, you have to admit, we weren't always careful…"

Its true, they had gotten sloppy the last few times, but it was a new relationship, passion and newness sometimes won, and they hadn't even hit the 6 month mark, and here they were, pregnant.

"Listen Daniel, you don't have to do anything, its not like I wasn't prepared to raise Adria by myself, once everything…You don't…"

"Stop," Daniel said holding a hand in the air. "Do you, and I mean you, want this child?"

"I don't want to not have this baby," Vala replied. "Its something normal…"

Nodding Daniel moved and wrapped his arms around the woman, he felt her body shake, and warm tears hit his neck. His grip tightened, and he held her closer, rubbing soothing circles on her back, whispering over and over again, 'we'll be okay' in her ear.

Not once, not a single time, in all his relationships, had a pregnancy even been expected. He was safe Daniel, Daniel who never did anything without a plan. But with Vala, everything with Vala was upside down, and sideways, and made everything impulsive. He never slept with someone on the first date, but his real first date with Vala, one he had to admit was a date, he awoke the next morning, her skin pressed against his, and she smelt like mangoes. He loved mangoes.

Since then, he can count, on one hand, the nights they have not spent together. He loves her, he thinks, it feels different than before, more intense than with Sha're, and he can deal with that.

And now, he thinks he might love her even more than he did before.

"Daniel?"

"Hmm?"

"I have to throw up," she said innocently, as Daniel chuckled and let her go, as he watched her move into the hallway.

Grabbing a glass of water, some crackers, and a damp cloth, he followed her into the bathroom, placing a hand on her back, as she leaned her head onto the white porcelain.

Life was about to change, for the better. Soon it would be house hunting, nursery painting, ultrasounds, and moodswings, cravings, and sleepless nights. Daniel was scared, why shouldn't he be? He was going to be a father. A Father. He'd have to talk to Jack.

"Really?" Jack asked as he watched Sam move about the kitchen. It wasn't like she was making a gourmet meal, just spaghetti, but she preferred when he'd talk to her while doing so.

"Yes, really," Sam said turning around. "Crazy right?"

"Our little Daniel got Vala knocked up?"

"You have to promise, promise, you wont tell either I told you," Sam said staring at her husband. He nodded with a grin.

"Good ole Danny boy!" he toasted to the air as Sam laughed. "Now you gotta catch up huh?"

"Trying is fun though isn't it?" Sam asked, just before she saw Jack get up and pin her to the counter.

"So much fun."


	6. Chapter 6

August 2009

She was now officially past her first trimester. And just starting to show, really show. The bump was familiar, but new all at the same time. Poking her stomach, she waited on the bed, as Daniel fused around the bedroom.

George Hammond had passed, and she could tell Daniel just needed her to be there, being the one to hold his hand at the memorial. She didn't know the man, not really. Met on a handful of occasions, and she knew Daniel had called and informed him of their baby-to-be.

Sam had cried, and she held her friend in her arms, passing her off to Jack, the moment he walked on base.

"Daniel, we're going to be late," Vala said softly, running her hands over the swell of her stomach, that was covered in black- an odd tradition on this planet, black for mourning.

"Okay," he said softly straightening his tie, and holding a hand for Vala, helping pull her up. "Thank you, for coming."

"Always," Vala replied softly, giving his hand a squeeze. They were being picked up, by Teal'c, who insisted he drive his team to the memorial, waited patiently outside Daniel's apartment, in the government issued SUV.

The ride to the Academy was silent, no stories were told, no small talk, just silence. The grounds of the Air Force Academy was that of mostly a sea of all blue, only a smattering of black.

This was her first Tauri funeral, and she had to say, it was weird. Not something she'd ever experienced, people talking about the departed. Daniel whispered it was a military funeral, and therefore, a different kind of experience. She sat quietly, knowing that's what Daniel needed, and the other part of her was that she was so exhausted already, she swore Adria's pregnancy never took this much out of her.

"Come on," Daniel said softly, as Vala looked at him, her eyes drooping. "You okay Vala?"

"Just tired," she said. "Baby is taking a lot out of me."

"Did you want to go for a nap, before the wake?" he asked, as Vala nodded. "I could use a hour of shut eye too."

"Daniel, you don't have to, you can go to the base, I can catch up," she explained as Daniel shook his head.

"No," Daniel said, and without an argument he wrapped his arm around her back and guided her towards the procession of cars. They stepped beside Jack and Sam, who were merely standing far closer than officers of their rank should, but most of the brass there knew of their marriage, and long standing relationship. "We're going to go take a nap, Vala's tired," he said absently to Jack, who nodded.

"Nap sounds good," he agreed. "Carter?"

"Sounds good sir," Sam said, blinking. She too didn't want to face the crowd first, SG-1 was Hammond's flagship, his last big command, the people that got him in more trouble and praised more than ever before. It was only fitting they'd show up late.

"Mitchell, T, we're gonna nap," Jack said as the other two joined their wait for the car.

"Sir?" Cameron asked, looking at the General.

"It's fitting," Sam smiled sadly, looking at Cameron. Cameron didn't say anything, but look at the four, and Teal'c bowed his head knowingly.

"How you feeling?" Daniel asked as the two walked into the fifth house of the day, in attempts to find something, just something they both liked.

"I'm fine Daniel, she said rubbing her poked out stomach affectionately. "Just some movement."

The whole house hunting was turning into a nightmare, not a single house both he and Vala liked, and to be honest, if they were going to raise their child in a house, they both might as well like it. Daniel wanted a few things, a basement office, and a place to put the piano that was it, Vala wanted everything else, and he couldn't blame her. She never really had anything that was truly what she wanted, and this would be the first step to it.

"Daniel, its so bright here," she said happily. Vala lit up immediately as they walked into this house. He had to admit, it was a beautiful house, large, full of light and windows, and five bedrooms. The only downside was it was on the opposite side of town than the base. As they walked through the house, looking at bedrooms, Vala lit up as she entered one, "the baby's room!"

"Is this it?" Daniel asked, already noting it had an upstairs study, which would do, or he'd take the downstairs Rec Room as his own. Vala looked at him and nodded. "Okay, I'll go talk to Laura, make an offer."

Vala nodded as Daniel left and she looked around the bedroom. This was her first real home, something she wanted, that she could design and raise her family in. Her family, that was a term she had yet to designate to what she and Daniel had, they were a little family, with the baby.

She would have to design the nursery, and even then, there was the house. Her smile brightened and she walked out of the room, tracing her fingers along the clean walls. She was mentally moving Daniel's furniture and decorations in, buying their own, and maybe, getting Sam to help.

She knew Sam would, after moving in with the General, only a handful of her was spattered in their home, although Vala bet, it was because Sam still hadn't fully unpacked her house.

Walking downstairs, Daniel stared at their realtor: "Over 1400 a month? Seriously?"

"Dr. Jackson, we can always extend the mortgage, but the house at this price, would get paid off in 22 years," the woman said. "It has no other offers, so if you accept it, its yours."

Running his hand through his hair, Daniel was thinking, she could tell. His salary, and her salary, and expenses, he looked at her and shrugged. "It may be tight," he said and she nodded. "Okay, where do I sign?"

Vala jumped in excitement, hugging him before pulling away. "I have to pee!" she said and bounced off towards one of the 4 bathrooms.

"I remember that stage, it gets worse," the woman smiled. "I have three of my own. Your first?"

"Yeah, she picked out the nursery already," he explained.

"Well, there are also several schools around," she said pulling out the list.

"Oh, that, yeah, no, we both work for the Air Force, at Cheyenne Mountain, the kid will be going to The Colorado Springs School," he said, as almost all of the children who belonged to the base personal went to the school. That and he was sure a half alien baby, would not fit well into the public education stream.

"Oh," she said with a smile. Daniel nodded and looked back down at the stack of paperwork. Taking a deep breath, he clicked his pen, and began signing, initialing, etc.

"Daniel?" Vala asked softly, as the two laid in bed, in their brand new home, on their first night. The team left a few hours before, after a day of beer and pizza, and Teal'c being the only sober one to take them away.

"Yes?"

"My Doctor said that we should be able to know the gender of the baby in a little while, did you want to know?"

Daniel moved a bit, so that he could look at her face, her hair was pulled into a braid that hung to one side, and she looked tired. She was always tired lately.

"As long as the baby is healthy, I don't care if it's a boy or a girl," he said touching her cheek. "If you want to know, if you want to make the nursery more gender friendly, then I say we find out, but don't think you have to find out. You don't, we don't. It can be a surprise, and I'll be just as happy either way."

Vala nodded and placed her hand on her stomach. "I've been having dreams."

"Oh?"

"About the baby. All my dreams, it's a boy."

"A boy?" Daniel asked, a hint of amazement in his voice.

"Yes," Vala said. "They're just dreams."

"Just dreams," Daniel smiled. In four months, they were to become parents, he was scared shitless. Jack had tried to calm him down, saying that there was no reason to panic or worry until the baby came, but that wasn't Daniel, he was scared, and they needed to do things, needed to be the ones to care for a child, their child. He was having a child…

Vala was worried, it wasn't like she hadn't been pregnant before, so she knew what to expect, but there was an aspect that this wasn't planned, and she was in a relationship, and they were living together, and together they were going to have a baby.

Sam had already talked names with her, and they had spent an afternoon on a website, making a list of names. Boys and Girls. As Sam said, you never know. Sam had fallen in love with the name Elliot, and told Vala, that if she ever had a son, she would name him Elliot. She hoped that Sam would soon get her dream, as from the moment they got married, she had been talking about having a baby. Just one, to give her something so that she was equal to Jack's first wife.

"Daniel?"

"Hmm?"

"What would you name our baby?" she asked curling up into his side. Daniel remained quiet for a few moments. His arm tightened around her, pulling her closer into his.

"If I had my choice?"

"Your choice," she said earnestly. Nodding his head, his spare hand moved around her body and settle on her babybump.

"A girl, I'd want to name her Alexandra, it means Defender of the People, we could call her Alex for short, or Lexi," he explained. "Middle name, Samantha, Sam's the only family I have, have had in a very long time, so I think her name would be Alexandra Samantha."

"Pretty," Vala smiled. "A boy?"

"I don't know, but his middle name should be Jonathon, for Jack," Daniel explained. "What about you?"

Vala took a breath, and smiled. "I like the girl name, for a boy, I think Lukas, or maybe Carter, or Wyatt, or we could name him Jonathon," Vala went on as Daniel chuckled.

"We still have time."

"I know."

"What do you say we find out?" he said softly after a few moments of silence. Vala smiled and nodded her head.


	7. Chapter 7

November 2009

She had been officially taken off active duty. Her stomach as round, and protruding and she was, as she put it daily, fat. She was nearing month seven, and Daniel was starting to feel the effects of her pregnancy more and more. Month five had been amazing, her hormones had made a teenage sexdrive seem tame. The day, he swore, it hit month five, she was basically pleading for him to have sex with her at almost every waking hour. 31 days in which she wasn't angry, didn't care about how much she weighed, ate, and had more sex than he ever had before.

He missed month five. It was far better than the constant grumpiness that emerged from Vala.

And now, here they were, standing in the Home Depot, in front of hundreds, if not thousands of paint colours.

"Danny boy," Jack said patting him on the shoulder. "Come, power tools," he said dragging the doctor away, who looked thankful. Vala turned and looked at Sam and smiled.

"You told anyone yet?" she asked softly, leaning forward so only Sam could hear.

"Only Jack, and Daniel, and Teal'c," she said touching her abdomen. She had found out three weeks earlier she was pregnant, and after lengthy discussions with the doctor, she held off informing the amount of people who knew to a minimum, until after the first trimester.

"Can I help you at all?" a young woman asked, dressed in the trademark orange Home Depot apron, her name read Victoria.

"Just picking out colours for the nursery," Sam smiled. "They're having a boy."

"Oh congratulations!" The young woman smiled. "Have you thought of a theme yet?"

"Well," Vala said with a breath. "We think we want it warm, and have this old kind of feel. We know we want this in the room," she held out a picture of an older 1950s truck.

"Oh, that's fun! Okay, so we can do a lot with that," Victoria said enthusiastically. Sam smiled brightly and let the young energetic woman talk and explain paint colours and the things they could do. Sam had to admit, she was excited to be standing here in the same spot picking colours for her baby's room.

Vala held the paint colours in her hand: Collectible, Ocean Cruise, Glorious Gold, and Royal Breeze, laying them on the counter she gave Sam a smile. "This brown…Collectible, the main colour, and then we do a stripe, starting with….Royal Breeze, the dark blue, and the orange, Glorious Gold, and then a large blue stripe of Ocean Cruise."

"And we can highlight the crib, and with an off white," Sam replied, turning around and thumbing through the colours. "Ah, Delicate Lace" placing it aside the colours.

"You know, what might be fun, we have chalk board paint, or for those who prefer it, white board, the chalkboard paint can be tinted to match the room's décor," Victoria smiled as Sam looked at her friend. "What you could do, is build a bookshelf, using the Martha Stewart box shelving collection, that's down in Décor, and painting it the same dark blue, and use the seat option, making it a nook of sorts."

"We could head to the dollar store, and get letters, and do a portrait of the alphabet, and maybe, even his name above the crib, and paint them in green, and all these colours," Sam explained.

"We should be able to find a rug, to special order, that would also match. The alphabet maybe?" Victoria offered.

Vala smiled brightly and nodded. She loved talking this through with Sam, it was nice not to ask Daniel, who would say, "whatever you want"; that drove her mad.

It was only mere moments that Teal'c came and stood behind his women looking at the colours. "DanielJackson has sent me to make sure that the proper amount of paint is bought. He and GeneralO'Neill are looking at power tools down in the Hardware Tool Chorale."

Sam laughed and shook her head, touching her friend's arm. Leaning into him, she whispered in his ear: "This didn't happen now did it?"

"Indeed not," Teal'c said as Vala moved to look at paint sheens. "ValaMalDoran did not reach this far in her pregnancy in my lifetime."

Sam looked at Teal'c and her brows furrowed. Teal'c rarely showed any comparison of lives, and when he did, he made sure to never directly explain the differences. "Teal'c…"

"It is irrelevant in this timeline," he said dismissively. Sam looked at him and gave his bicep a squeeze.

"I love you Teal'c," Sam said softly.

"As I do you," he said bowing his head.

"Daniel, can you just help?" Jack grumbled as he smoothed frog tape along the lines of the wall. "This is your kid."

"Yeah, I know," Daniel said moving to grab the laser level from Teal'c. Cameron was already painting the one wall that was already taped, and was grumbling how he got roped into doing this.

"So, you two decided on a name for this one?" Jack asked, starting another row of taping. This was going to be a ridiculous project.

"Umm, we've been talking, no name really set though," Daniel shrugged, as he took the tape from his friend.

"What names?" Cameron asked, rolling the brown onto the walls.

"Uh, we've narrowed it down to three: Christian, Damon or Lukas."

"Really, Christian Jackson?" Jack asked, raising his brows.

"It was my grandfather's name, not Nick, my Dad's dad…Christian Jackson," Daniel shrugged. "Vala really likes it."

"Huh," Jack shrugged. "Damon, that's a bit…new?"

"Not really, it's greek, and means the one that tames. Latin Genii, analogous to the guardian angels invoked by the Church of Rome. The belief in such spirits existed both in Greece and at Rome. The Greeks called them daimones, daemons, and appear to have believed in them from the earliest times, though Homer does not mention them," Daniel rambled as the other men merely ignored their friend, as always.

"Right, not so new," Jack agreed. "Beer?"

"None for me thanks," Daniel mumbled cutting the final piece of tape on the last wall. He was starting to regret letting Vala completely design the nursery, and where was she? Sitting downstairs, with Sam, painting letters. Letters! Something about a alphabet wall.

Maybe Jack was right, just don't ask questions, and let the pregnant women do their thing.

"You ever think, that this," she gestured to the space, "is all so surreal and its going to come crashing down?"

Sam looked at Vala, and smiled softly. "Everyday, I think that the president will come and say I can't be with my husband, and the Air Force takes us away from each other, and you and Teal'c get imprisoned, Daniel finally dies, and never comes back, and Cassie," she stops and takes a breath. "Cassie never forgives me, never forgives Jack, or Daniel, or Teal'c, for letting her mother die. Everyday I worry, and everyday I am thankful for what I have, and who I have."

Vala stared at Sam, and touched her hand. "I'm scared for the baby," she said touching her stomach. "I'm scared that he will be born, and he'll be taken away, and I'll never know my son."

"Vala, that's not going to happen," Daniel's voice said softly from the doorway. Vala looked up and smiled softly. "I promise you, I will never, ever, let anyone take our baby away. And he is not, and I repeat not, an Ori, or any other kind of alien. He's our son, and he will be safe here."

Vala smiled, softly she whispered: "Thank you Daniel."

"Always," he replied kissing the top of her head. "Is this for the thingy between the bookshelves?"

"Yes," Vala said switching gears and showing Daniel the letters. They were arranging them on a piece of wainscoting, and sticking them down with command strips. "See how each matches the room in some way! How's the painting coming?"

"I was sent on a beer run," Daniel said sitting down next to Sam, touching her shoulder. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay," Sam smiled. "Oh, Cassie is coming home for Christmas, she says she has a surprise for us."

"Oh dear," Daniel laughed. "She going to stay with you and Jack, or here?"

"Jack and I will take her," Sam said smiling. "However, you want to get her from the airport? She said she wants to talk to you first, I have a feeling its about you Vala."

"Me?"

"Janet," both said simultaneously.

"Oh."

"Look, it was the past, and Cassie probably just needs reassurance, that's all, she had a rough time," Daniel explained. "We're all she has left, and you're new, and are effectively taking me away from her."

"Oh, Daniel!" a voice rang from upstairs. "You get your sorry ass up here and paint your god damn kids room!"

"You better go, you know how Jack gets, and bring him beer," Sam smiled as she placed the last letter on the board.

Kissing Sam's cheek, and Vala's forehead, Daniel retreated back upstairs, to where the men were taking a break. "Jackson, forgot to mention, Penny is coming over," Cameron said waving his hand, as the doorbell rang throughout the house. "Now."

Vala looked at Sam, and moved towards the door, at a waddle. Opening it up, she saw Cameron's girlfriend holding a salad bowl. "Hi, Cameron invited me."

"Oh, come in," Vala smiled moving aside.

"I brought macaroni salad," she said, knowing that today was a finish the nursery, and that that they were having diner. It wasn't like Sam and Vala didn't like Penny, she was nice enough, and definitely nothing like they imagined Cam becoming involved with, she was so…innocent. An interior designer, Penny had perfectly pin straight auburn hair, and bluer eyes than Cameron himself. She was pretty, and covered in freckles, and they both had to admit, she had a wit about her.

"That's lovely, thank you," Vala smiled. "I think the boys are upstairs painting, or drinking, but they know the painting has to be done today."

"Cameron tells me that you designed the nursery," Penny smiled. "Where did you get your inspiration?"

"A picture, of a truck," Vala smiled leading the woman into her house.

"Hi Colonel Carter," Penny said holding out her hand and shaking Sam's hand who smiled.

"Call me Sam," she smiled. "We're working on the décor for the baby's room, if you want to help?"

"I'd love to."

This was just one more step to becoming a mother, a real mother. Every time she attempted to see how the men were doing, she was kicked out, being told to leave them in peace, and let them paint. She caught glimpses, and it wasn't until four in the afternoon, they came downstairs, paint on their skin and clothes, and Jack even had some in his hair.

But it was done, her nursery painted, one step closer, one day closer to giving birth, one day closer to having something she never thought she'd have.

Dinner was filled with laughing, and carefully picked stories to share with Penny; although everyone assumed she would be getting clearance any day with the way the relationship was progressing.

For those of you who are interested in what the nursery looks like, I had picked it from online, here:

/projects/lukes-vintage-truck-nursery/

And for the home, this is currently up for sale in Colorado Springs, which I think is pretty cool!

.com/homedetails/4087-Maizeland-Rd-Colorado-Springs-CO-80909/64511168_zpid/

Also, if you want to see something specific, or even want to weigh in on the names, I haven't named the baby yet, so let me know. :)


	8. Chapter 8

December 2009

"Where is she?" Daniel asked, not really needing an answer, as he moved through the O'Neill house, Jack pointed to the bedroom, not speaking. He had called, although Daniel knew, he just felt it, felt that something wasn't right. He had checked on Vala, who assured him she was fine, checked on Teal'c, and Cameron, even Penny. He pulled Vala out of her nap, and drove at top speeds to the O'Neill home. He just knew, knew something was different, something had changed. Not bothering to knock, Daniel walked in, and looked around. The house was its usual quiet self, but he saw Jack, and just knew.

Vala moved to sit on the couch in the livingroom, and he moved down the hall. Her hands clasped around her pregnant belly, she looked at Jack, who smiled softly, in reassurance.

Sam was sitting on the floor, at the end of the bed, holding her knees to her chest.

"Sam," he said softly, as she looked up, her eyes red, and puffy from the tears. They were still silently flowing. Not saying anything, he moved to sit down next to her, and pulled her to his side. "I'm here now." She said nothing but turning into his embrace, and letting the tears run freely.

"The baby is gone…"

"I know." He held Sam for hours, letting her cry into his body, not letting her escape, even with each plea of 'let me go'.

"She lost the baby didn't she?" Vala asked softly, looking at Jack, as he nursed the one beer he opened when they arrived.

"Yup," Jack said, not letting emotion plague his voice. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay," Vala mumbled rubbing her stomach. In honesty, she was incredibly uncomfortable, the baby was kicking her ribs, and she was not going to say anything about the baby, to the man who just lost his.

"Baby kicking your ribs?" Vala looked at him, nodding her head she rubbed her stomach. "Good sign, means the baby is getting ready to drop. Which really means, you'll be giving birth in a few weeks."

"Yes," Vala agreed, as the front door opened, and shut. Not needing to look up, or even great the guest, Jack remained seated,

"Bedroom," Jack called, as Teal'c moved rapidly down the hall. His foot steps slowed as he reached the back of the house, and the sound of the door shutting caused Jack to look at Vala.

"In his timeline," Vala started, "I lost this baby. He was telling Sam, a few weeks ago, he didn't think I was listening, but I was. I heard, that, I lost the baby. I know in this timeline, I didn't, and I know that at eight months, this baby is kicking up a storm, and it means that he's alive, and I know that's all that matters. I know how it feels to lose a baby, I lost Adria the moment I knew I was pregnant. I knew she'd never be mine, and it's like loosing a child, it is loosing a child. I came to terms with that the baby was gone, and its hard, but you get past it. You'll never be the same, you'll be better." Jack looked at Vala and nodded his head.

"I was always afraid, I'm still afraid, that I'm going to be a horrible mother, but loosing Adria made me stronger, made me realise that I can do it. It gets better."

"My first son killed himself, with my gun, while me and my wife were outside," Jack said pointing to the picture of Charlie sitting on the mantel. "I know how it feels to loose a child."

"This is different, isn't it?"

"Yup," Jack said lifting the beer bottle to his lips.

Christmas was upon them, and although the reality of Sam's miscarriage was still plaguing them, they took to making sure Christmas was for family, and not sadness. Sam, at first, couldn't look at Vala, to much pain at seeing the pregnant woman, compared to her flat stomach, that once housed her child, now empty. Usually, no one made it home on Christmas, it wasn't a big event in their lives as it was in others, but this year, with Cassie saying she was coming home, they made it work, and for the first time in ten years, they were home.

Daniel waited patiently in the airport, awaiting Cassie's return to Colorado Springs. He wasn't sure why she requested he pick her up, usually Sam or Jack would be the one that would collect her.

"Daniel?" a voice said, as Daniel turned around, and smiled brightly. The young woman, dressed in a pant suit and heals, looking tired, smiled at him. 

"Hey," Daniel smiled reaching over and hugging the woman, kissing her cheek. "I miss you kiddo."

"You too," Cassie smiled. "Oh, I want you to meet someone," she said as she let go of Daniel, and pulling a young man by the hand to the two. "Daniel, this is John, my boyfriend."

"Oh, nice to meet you," Daniel said a little shocked. "Daniel Jackson."

"I've heard a lot about you. Cassandra doesn't stop talking about her family," John smiled shaking Daniel's hand.

"Funny, she hasn't mentioned you before," Daniel said looking at Cassie who just shrugged.

"Later, I wanted you to pick me up, because I want to know about this woman, and you've knocked her up!"

"Vala, and I didn't 'knock her up', we are having a baby," Daniel said shaking his head. "Come on kiddo, Sam can't wait to see you. Jack is sure you've abandoned him, and Vala can't wait to meet you."

"Murray in Toronto?" she asked raising a brow, as Daniel nodded.

"Yup. He uh, comes in tomorrow," Daniel continued.

"Daniel?"

"Cassie?"

Holding up two fingers, she looked at John. "Can you get the bags?"

"Sure," John replied, and moving towards the baggage claim.

"Do you love her, more than you loved mom?" she asked as Daniel looked at her.

"Cassie…"

"Daniel, when I was little, I always thought you and Mom were going to get married, and I'd get a baby brother or sister, but you screwed up and ascended, and then Mom died, and I lost that…and now I just need to know, do you love her more than you love my mom?"

"I will always love your mother, I will always love Sha're, but I don't love someone more than I love the other. I love Vala differently that I did your mother. Cassandra," his arm went around her shoulder. "I love Vala, and I love my child, very much. I wasn't supposed to spend my life with Sha're or Janet, I think that, it was Vala."

"Does she love you?"

"Very much so," he explained. "Listen, I know it's hard for you, and I know that you needed structure, but listen to me Cass, there is a woman at home, that is going to birth my child, and she is doing it willingly. I want you to remember that this: you are my family, and I love you, and you'll always come first."

"When is my nephew due?" she asked as John joined them.

"End of January, but don't mention anything about looking ready to pop, Vala feels fat enough all ready. And the mood she had yesterday, she would have given herself her own C-Section," Daniel said seriously.

Cassies smiled. "I love you."

"Me too kiddo."

"John seems nice," Sam smiled looking at Cassie, as the four women-Sam, Vala, Penny and Cassie- stood in the kitchen, preparing dinner, as the men, were no doubly, interrogating the young man.

"He is," Cassie replied happily. "He makes me happy."

"I can tell," Sam grinned ruffling Cassie's hair.

"So Penny, right?" Cassie asked turning to look at the auburn, who was sitting and cutting up vegetables. Penny nodded with a smile, she was slowly getting used to the close-knit relationship with this group of people, who seemed to teach each other as extensions of their own person. "How did you and Colonel Mitchell meet?"

"We were neighbors, I used to watch his plants all the time, when he went off on work," Penny said, not really knowing where he went, just that he left a lot. Sam was pretty sure that she'd be getting a request for clearance soon.

"Oh," Cassie smiled. "Well, welcome to our screwed up little family."

"Thanks," Penny laughed before noticing the look on Vala's face. "Are you okay?"

"Just, a cramp, I think," Vala replied holding her side. "This little man does not like to be kept still."

It had been three weeks since Sam lost the baby, and she was finally okay with talking about the baby that was due in a month.

"You sure you're okay?" Sam asked looking at her friend, who was holding her stomach.

"I'm fine, they'll go away," she said switching to a large smile. "Now Cassandra, tell us more about John."

Cassie laughed and continued to talk, as Sam watched her friend, how her hand went to her stomach, and knuckles went white, as she listened to the young woman tell stories of college, and her blooming relationship with John Wildman. Vala's face would change soften from a large smile, to that of pain, and it wasn't long before she gasped.

"Vala?" Sam asked, rather loudly as the woman gripped the counter and her knees went weak. "Daniel! Jack!" Sam yelled.

"Now, I'm not fine," she confessed closing her eyes in pain.

"What's going on?" Daniel asked appearing at the doorway, before noticing Vala. "Vala, are you okay?"

"No Daniel," she snapped back, her glare worth a thousand bullets. "I'm not."

"How far along are you?" John asked, looking at the woman.

"Umm, 8 months," she replied taking a breath. "Why?"

"I'm doing my fellowship in obstetrics," John replied touching her stomach. It was hard, just as he expected and looked at her. "Let's get you to the hospital, stop the contractions. Cassandra, which is closer?"

"Memorial, I'll call, get you privileges" she said digging in her pocket pulling out her iPhone.

"Okay, Dr. Jackson, if you and General O'Neill would please get her into the backseat of the biggest vehicle? Colonel Carter, and Miss Dean, can you find me a first aid kit, and get blankets please. I want to be prepared. Okay let's get going."

"It'll be okay Vala," Daniel said soothingly as his arm snaked around her waist. Two days before Christmas, and he was taking his girlfriend to the hospital.

Vala looked at Daniel and stared, her eyes screaming in fear. "It's too soon."

He wasn't going to lie, he was scared the moment that Sam shouted his name. It was three hours ago, and Vala was asleep in the hospital bed, wrapped around his body, the best she could. They had stopped the labour, for now, and she was ordered to say overnight, to monitor.

"How she doing?" John asked as he picked up the chart on the end of her bed. Flipping it open, he read, and cranked his neck to the side. "She's looking good, her doctor was a bit worried however, she's had a child before?"

"Sort of," Daniel said looking at the young man, he was a bit old for Cassandra for his liking, but she seemed to really care about him, and what he could tell, he really cared for Cassandra.

"Sort of?"

"Still born," he lied.

"Well, this baby seems to want to come out, a bit early for my liking, especially since she delivered a still born. I want to keep him in there as long as possible," John explained.

"Just how many babies have you delivered?" Daniel asked, squinting his eyes at the young doctor.

"Six-hundred and thirty two," John replied, "two years of residency, I spent a lot of time with the OB/GYN on staff, delivered a new baby everyday it seemed. I'm going to have the nurse keep an eye on her overnight, and I'll come back in the morning."

"You don't have to, enjoy your vacation," Daniel attempted to say as John laughed slightly.

"I'm a doctor, I don't have vacations. I'll have them bring in another bed for you, if you'd like," John said sliding the chart back on the bed.

"No, we'll be fine. Thank you."

"Don't think anything of it," John said before leaving the room and Daniel pulled Vala closer to him.

She stirred slightly, moaning into his chest, before attempting to roll onto her back. He watched as her eyes flickered open and she turned her head to look at him. "Daniel?"

"Hey," Daniel whispered, a smile on his face, as he rubbed circles on her arm. "Baby is okay, just wanted to come a bit early. They said no to that," he explained, at the worry that was written on her face.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Hey, hey," Daniel started. "Its not your fault, the baby, he's just egger to get here."

Christmas morning was not like they had expected, it was the plan to have Christmas at the O'Neill's, but with Vala on temporary bedrest, everything was moved to the Jackson home. Which meant very quick decorating and a small tree, which the presents overwhelmed.

The morning of Christmas day, Vala awoke and groaned, finally sleeping properly in her own bed. Her hands went to her stomach, as they did almost too frequently lately. Feeling the child move within, she smiled and gave her stomach a good pat.

She laid there, half sitting, and rubbed her stomach, feeling the child's every kick, and every movement.

She was in awe at the child, and how active he was, much more than Adria was. Adria was not active, and she assumed that now, it was because she was never truly pregnant, but an incubator. This baby never stopped moving, he was constantly trying to find a comfortable position, which meant feet in her ribs, feet on her bladder, constant kicking and punching of her stomach.

She was imaging what the baby would look like, Daniel, he would look like Daniel, same messy hair, blue eyes, but her smile.

"Daniel?"

"Hmm?" Daniel groaned as he rolled onto his stomach and buried his head into the pillow again.

"Time to get up darling, it's Christmas!" she said hitting his shoulder, as Daniel rolled his head over and faced her, his face marked with a pattern of his pillow.

"What time is it?" he asked groggily moving and laying on her chest to see the alarm clock. It read 7am. Settling his head between her breasts he rubbed her stomach. "How's he doing?"

"Settling down," Vala smiled, her hand covering his hand with her own. "Did he keep you up all night?"

"No, just woke up himself," Vala smiled as her other hand moved through Daniel's hair. "Daniel?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"Always," Daniel smiled kissing her stomach, before moving to place a kiss on her lips. "Okay, time to get up," he said as the doorbell rang, and they heard boots come clambering into their house.

"Help me," she said as Daniel wrapped his arm around her side and helped her legs swing over the edge of the bed. "Pee, then downstairs?"

"That's all the walking you're going to be doing," with the look Vala gave him he stared at her. "I'm serious Vala, six weeks until this baby is due, and you're not going to be standing more than 10 minutes a day."

Groaning she nodded and was pulled into a standing position, as their bedroom door opened to Teal'c.

"I was instructed to collect you," he explained. "ColonelMitchell is preparing breakfast," he continued as a dog's barking rang through their ears.

"What was that?"

"GeneralO'Neill gifted ColonelCarter with a puppy," Teal'c explained as Vala laughed and Daniel shook his head. "Would you like help downstairs ValaMalDoran?"

"We're peeing first, and then heading down, thank you though," Vala smiled as she urged Daniel to move towards the ensuit. "We'll be down in a few minutes."

"Very well, I shall help Cassandra count presents from Santa Clause," Teal'c said bowing his head and moving down the stairs, as Daniel let go of Vala.

"Someone should tell him Santa doesn't exist," Daniel said leaning against the shower. Closing his eyes, he ran his hand over his face, before grabbing a hold of Vala's robe, placing it on the counter.

Since Cassandra was little, Christmas was an all pajama event, started by Janet, and Jack. No matter whose house they were at, you had to show up for breakfast and presents in your pajamas, no exceptions.

By the time they arrived downstairs, the house was smelling of pancakes, where Jack and Cameron were arguing over how to properly make a flatjack. Daniel settled Vala on the recliner, and looked at Sam who was currently rolling a ball around for a puppy.

"A puppy?"

"His name is Dash," Sam smiled picking up the boy. "He's a Labrador Golden Retriever mix."

Daniel shook his head and walked to the kitchen, staring at Jack. "A puppy?"

"Gives her comfort," Jack said with a shrug. "Name was her choice."

"How's breakfast coming?" Cassie asked bouncing into the kitchen, holding out her coffee mug to Daniel. "More please."

"When did you start drinking coffee?" Daniel asked, giving her a speculating glare.

"The moment I started all nighters," she said. "Sam got a puppy for Christmas."

"I saw," Daniel smirked. "Who has Captain?" he asked, referring to Cassie's dog that Jack had given her when Janet adopted her.

"Oh, he's staying without our roommate, she wasn't going home for Christmas, as her parents are in Africa on this Doctors Without Boarders thing, so she offered to watch Captain. He's old now, even if I wanted to bring him, he would have been all whiney about it, and just slept anyway."

"Breakfast is up!" Cameron called as he put the finishing touches on the plates. "Yo Princess, want jam or syrup."

"Syrup, there will be no jam eaten with pancakes," Jack supplied. "You have a lot to learn Mitchell."

"Sorry Sir, first Christmas with the team," he said as they carried the plates into the livingroom.

Cassie smiled, it had been years since the entire family had been together, really together for Christmas. The family was getting bigger, and she assumed it was going to get even bigger as the years progressed.

Daniel smiled brightly and kissed the top of Cassie's head before winking at Sam, and sitting on the arm to Vala's chair. Sam had pulled her new puppy into her lap, and was eating pancakes off of Jack's plate; Teal'c was sitting on the floor, by the Christmas tree; Cameron and Penny were sitting on the couch, smiling and listening to conversations around them.

Next year, it was going to be different, there would be a one year old involved, and that was just the start of the family that was growing.


	9. Chapter 9

February 2010

It had already been 14 hours, for a baby who wanted to come mere weeks ago, he was being stubborn and refusing to come out. Of course, Daniel had been off world the moment she went into labour, and Jack brought her to the base, and it was fourteen hours later, and he still wasn't there.

"Hey," Sam said coming in to see her friend, who was hooked up to a couple machines, just coming off her contraction.

"Daniel?" Vala asked looking hopeful. Sam crossed the room shaking her head and took a hold of Vala's extra hand. Jack, had been sitting with her since the moment they arrived, while Sam attempted to contact Daniel.

"I sent the Hammond out, they're going to beam him off the planet. The citizens say he can't be removed rom negotiations until they've settled. Which is unacceptable, I tried to explain that he has to be here, that you're in labour, but no luck. So I'm going to forcibly extract him."

"Soon," Vala said looking at her friend. "Please?"

"Workin on it," she said touching her friend's head. "How far along?"

"Doc said 6cm, still a ways to go," Jack supplied as he opened his eyes. "She's doing good, breathing through the contractions."

"Good," Sam smiled. "How's the pain?"

"There is this wonderful needle they gave me," Vala smiled softly.

"Epidural," Sam chimed in, with a smile. Sam pulled up a stool next to her friend, and clasped her hand around her's, stroking it lightly. "Jack, if you want to go catch a nap, or a snack, I'll stay."

"I could go for some cake," Jack said standing up, before bending over and kissing Vala's head. "You can do this." Moving around the bed, he captured a quick kiss from his wife before leaving the room.

"Samantha? What if he doesn't come, what if Daniel doesn't come?" Vala asked looking at her friend, before her eyes clenched in pain, and another contraction came about.

"Big breaths in and out," Sam coached and held onto her friend's hand. When it had passed she grabbed the damp cloth and wiped Vala's head. "He'll be here, Daniel will never, ever, voluntarily miss this."

"I'm positive this is a boy," she said touching her rock hard belly.

"Well I hope so, or your daughter is going to have a Truck room," Sam joked, a warm smile over her features. "You should try and sleep a bit."

"Why am I here, if no one is going to listen?" Daniel asked loudly, slamming his hands in defeat on the table. Negotiations were going nowhere, and he'd been sitting in this room for twenty-four hours, and they had gotten nowhere. "Can I at least talk to the rest of my team? Bring in someone who is actually trained for this?"

"No outside contact allowed," the Ambassador explained.

"Except you see this is not working for me," Daniel said before screaming in frustration. "And obviously not for you, so lets figure this thing out, so I can go home, and each of you can get back to your countries, and we'll all have a grand time."

Rubbing his face he looked at the men. "We are willing to trade with all of you. Plain and simple."

"Then we must all have equal use of the Stargate," one explained as Daniel dropped his head. They had this conversation what seemed like three dozen times already, and it was getting nowhere.

As to why he was here, was beyond him, SG-6, who seemed to be taking up the lead of negotiations with all new races were trapped outside, with Teal'c and Cameron. He just wanted to get home, and wait patiently for the baby's arrival. Okay, so impatiently, because really Vala was getting cranky.

He was getting cranky.

The talks began again, and Daniel leaned back in his chair, as banging, and noise could be heard. Everyone stopped and looked up at the doors.

"Yeah see, you can't stop me!" Cameron yelled bursting into the room. The men burst out shouting and Cameron waved his gun. "Hold up, Jackson we gotta go, the little woman is in labour, and has been for," he said looking at his watch. "Umm, eighteen hours now." Daniel stared in disbelief and looked at his friend. "We've been trying to get you out of here for hours."

"He must not leave," the main councilman explained. "And now, neither shall you."

"See, that's not gonna fly, he be having a baby, and I'm sure Mama will not be impressed if you keep him away," Cameron explained as he wrapped his arm around Daniel's shoulder. The men looked at Cameron and Daniel, in confusion, before Cameron continued: "He is becoming a daddy."

"You said eighteen hours? How far dilated is she?" Daniel asked, starting to panic.

"Um, General O'Neill said 7 cm, she still has a bit to go, but its already been too long, they have started to speed up labour," he explained. "Gotta get him back, sorry boys. However Major Sweet is more than willing to take over for Dr. Jackson here,"

"Unacceptable," the Ambassador argued as the two were quickly beamed up, and the men leaned in to stop them as Cameron waved during transport. The councilmen were just about to scream in protest as someone entered the room and shut the door.

"Okay, let's talk," Major Sweet said entering the room and closing the door.

"Hey, I'm here, I'm here," Daniel said running into the infirmary, still completely geared up, and noticed Vala asleep.

"Dannyboy, she's sleepin," Jack said standing up and stretching. "And you're late you know."

"Long story," Daniel said taking a few deep breaths from the running he just did.

"So I hear," Jack replied, "always something with you."

"It truly is," Daniel agreed as he shrugged off the vest and patting Jack on the shoulder. "Thanks for sitting with her."

"You'd do the same," Jack replied slapping Daniel on his back, "This is the first time she's fallen asleep, don't wake her," he added before leaving room. Daniel took a breath and moved to sit next to Vala, taking her hand within his.

"Dr. Jackson," a soft voice said as Daniel looked up and saw the bases OB/GYN. The Air Force decided years ago that it would be best to have one, as it seemed the women of the base kept getting stabbed, or infected by aliens, and then there was the incident where one member got pregnant after drinking a tea on a planet.

"Hi," Daniel said looking at the woman.

"We have tried to increase the rate of labour, but it does seem that she's dilating any further. My fear is that if we keep her in labour much longer, she'll go toxic."

"You want to pull the baby?" Daniel guessed as the doctor nodded.

"If she does not start progressing, yes. She's been at 6cm for close to three hours. I'm giving her a few more hours, but at the twenty hour mark, if she hasn't progressed, I'm going to operate."

Daniel took a breath and nodded his head. "Okay, thank you," he said as he turned to look at Vala, who slowly blinked her eyes open. "Hey, I made it."

"He doesn't want to come," she said, in just above a whisper.

"I know, the doctor wants to preform a cesarean if he doesn't budge," Daniel said as Vala nodded her head, and held onto her stomach. "Listen, it's okay if they want to pull the baby, I'll be here." Squeezing her eyes shut, Daniel let her squeeze his hand, as she rode out the contraction.

By hour twenty-four, the screams of the newborn baby were ringing through Daniel and Vala's ears. All they could hear was the baby, and Daniel looked at Vala, and smiled brightly.

"Its your boy," Dr. Pierce smiled, holding up the baby, so that Daniel and Vala could see. Handing him to the nurse, who quickly placed the baby on Vala's chest smiled.

"Hi there," she whispered kissing the boy's head and looking at Daniel. When the nurse pulled him away, she screamed "No!"

"I'll go with him, I promise we'll return," Daniel whispered kissing her lips, getting her nod of approval, he moved towards the baby who was being cleaned, measured and weighed.

Vala laid and watched her child carefully, as the oxygen masked moved back onto her mouth. Her fears slowly disappeared as she watched her child, and Daniel with him, she trusted Daniel more than Tomin, he would protect their son, whereas Tomin willingly took their daughter.

She already felt more love towards this boy than she did to Adria. Even when she didn't know her child was the leader of the Ori.

From what she could tell, her son looked like Daniel, a mess of brown hair, squished face, and her set of lungs. Before she knew it, he would be off to school, and on his first date, and off to college, then he would find his wife, and get married and have babies of his own.

She was thinking far too much into the future, right now there was a baby, a baby boy, who just needed her to love him, and care for him, because that's what she needed to do.

Daniel stared at the little boy, his son, his perfect little boy, who he could tell already had Vala's eyes. Daniel watched as his son stopped crying as he was placed in his arms, for the first time.

"Hey buddy," Daniel smiled as he held the swaddled boy to his body. "I'm your dad. And the lady over there, the one you've been kicking for a while, that's your mom." Daniel leaned down and placed a kiss on his son's head. He was now in charge of making sure this little boy was going to turn out, and someone decided long ago, that because this little boy held half of his DNA, meant that he was responsible.

"Daniel?" Vala's voice cracked out, as Daniel turned to look at her. Smiling, he tucked the baby closer to his body and moved over to the bed. Vala smiled as she watched Daniel walk over, his smile was infectious and her eyes followed the bundle in his arms.

"This is our son," Daniel said softly as he placed the boy into Vala's arms, for the first time. She felt the instant connection feeling her son's body, and she immediately started pulling away at his blankets, running her fingers over the smooth skin, feeling all its wrinkles and red bumps that came from his nine-month growing spurt.

"Daniel, he's," Vala started, as tears fell from her eyes, shed from joy.

"Perfect," Daniel supplied as he sat down on the edge of the bed. He watched Vala trace their son's face.

"Hey," Sam smiled as she popped her head around the curtain looking at her two friends. Her smile turned into the mega-watt smile as she looked at the newborn baby swaddled in a blanket, with a toque on his head, and all squished. "Look at him!"

"He's perfect," Vala supplied as she held the baby up, the best she could. Sam moved around the curtain, followed by Jack, Teal'c, and Cameron, who all grew large smiles at the sight.

"So what's this little dudes name?" Cameron asked pulling up a few stools for the group to sit on.

"Oh, well," Daniel started looking at Vala, who looked at their son, and nodded. "Lukas, Lukas Jonathon Jackson."

"I always told you, you'd name your first born after me," Jack joked as he leaned in to take the baby from Vala's arms. Jack tucked Lukas into the crook of his arm and settled into the chair beside the bed. "Hey slugger."

The baby was passed around, cuddled and admired. Luke was given nicknames, and checked, all under the watchful eye of Vala. The pain from the c-section radiated throughout her body, but once Luke was in her arms, it didn't matter anymore.

Daniel secured Luke in his car seat, and laid another blanket over the child. Vala sat on the edge of the hospital bed, and smiled as she watched Daniel interact with their infant son. Now officially thirty-six hours old, they were going home for the first time, and like any first time parents, were ever making sure that he was more than warm and covered for the first journey.

Swinging the diaper bag over his shoulder, he secured his jacked and looked at Vala. "You ready?"

"Only if you promise to drive really slow," Vala said standing up, holding her stomach in slight pain.

"Promise," he said smiling and looking at Luke. "You ready to go there buddy?" not expecting an answer, he lifted the carrier and hooked it on his arm. Vala leaned down and checked her son, once again, before wrapping her arms around Daniel's spare.

It was early morning, before the base really got busy, and they had decided to leave that early, to avoid the stopping, as they knew everyone would want to see the new baby. It wasn't like Daniel wasn't proud of his son, on the contrary, he loved and was so proud of the little boy who was only thirty-six hours old. He was just tired of everyone wanting to see the baby, at all hours.

Luke made a few noises as they stepped into the winter cold, and Vala moved to pull the blanket over the entire carrier, protecting him from the wind. The trip home was slow, and filled with minimal conversation. Daniel knew Vala was tired, and she sat in the backseat, keeping an eye on their son.

Arriving at the house, Daniel pulled into the driveway and looked in the backseat and smiled. Luke was awake, his bright blue eyes were darting around at his surroundings.

"I'd like to carry him," Vala announced undoing the harness. "Can you get everything else?"

"Of course," Daniel said making sure Vala had Luke pulled out before opening the door to the car, and grabbing the few things they were bringing back. Making sure Luke was covered in a blanket, plastered to her chest, Vala stepped out and moved towards the house. It wasn't that cold, hovering around 0°C, with a slight wind, which made it seem colder than it really was.

Opening the locked door, Daniel moved in, making room for Vala, as they turned the lights on, and smiled at the banner that hung haphazardly in their foyer 'Welcome Home Lukas' in bad painting and stickers. Definitely the work of their friends, Daniel shut the door and pulled the blanket down to reveal Luke's face.

"Welcome home Lukas," Vala whispered kissing the top of his head, and leaning into Daniel.

"Why don't you two rest?" Daniel suggested taking Luke so that Vala could shrug off her jacket. Nodding Vala reached for her son, cradling him as his eyes closed, and she hugged him closer.

Everything about Luke was new and wonderful. She never even got to hold Adria, and now anytime she wanted to she could hold Luke, run her fingers over his skin, check over and over again he was alive and well, and in her care, because someone long ago said she could.

"We'll be in bed," she smiled moving up the stairs and Daniel watched them walk upstairs. He had to make some phone calls, to let people know of his growing family. Okay, really only like two phone calls, one to his adopted parents, and one to his adopted sister. They deserved to know, according to Sam all three had been quiet concerned over his "death", subsequently known as him being M.I.A, and being found.

Ellen and Henry McLean treated Daniel like their own the day he moved in, their daughter Leah, were the only family Daniel had before SG-1. He loved them like he would his own parents, and if he actually had a sibling. Leah would still call on Christmas, send cards on all occasions, and sent presents randomly throughout the year. Ellen and Henry were more of card people, 1 for every Christmas and Birthday.

Life with Ellen and Henry was always entertaining, Ellen was a music teacher, and Henry worked for the NYPD. Leah was a few years younger than he was, and the only child for the couple. He was given piano lessons, and taken on rides in the cop car, and treated like their own. He loved that, and always vowed, somehow, he'd give back to them.

Whenever he'd get to New York, he would make a trip to Queens to visit the family. He had told them that he was becoming a father, and now he had to tell them that their first grandchild from him was born.

Picking up the phone, Daniel dialed the familiar number and waited through the rings.

"_Hello?"_

"Mom, its Daniel," he smiled.

"_Danny, how are you honey?"_

"Amazing," Daniel chuckled. "Vala had the baby."

"_Oh Daniel! That's wonderful, and what did we name him?"_

"Lukas," Daniel smiled as he moved around the kitchen. "He had her eyes, and my hair," he continued. "He's beautiful, I'll email Leah a picture for you and Dad."

"_Now when can we expect you to bring the baby and that wife of yours to New York?"_

"Mom, she's not my wife," Daniel said shaking his head. "Soon though, we don't want to travel just yet, is Dad home?"

"No, he's at the precinct."

Daniel smiled as he sat down on the recliner, and talked with his mother, she always had a lot to tell Daniel, catching him up on life in Queens. He knew Vala would be sleeping as long as Luke slept, so he was okay with spending so much time on the phone. It wasn't until he heard Luke's wails that he quickly said goodbye and hurried up the stairs into the nursery.

Vala was changing Luke's diaper, which seemed to be the cause of the wails, at being taken out of his sleeper. Daniel stood in the doorway watching Vala slide Luke's legs back into the sleeper and pulled him to her chest.

"You two didn't sleep long," Daniel said moving into the room, to take the dirty diaper and place it into the diaper genie. "C'mere," he said sitting down on the recliner, as Vala moved and sat on his lap, settling Luke in her arms between the two.


	10. Chapter 10

April 2010

"Why wont he stop crying?" Vala asked almost desperately as she paced back and forth with now ten week old Lukas in her arms. It had officially been four days and Lukas had barely slept, and was eating half the amount he used to.

"Does he have a fever?" Daniel asked taking a deep breath as he stepped into the house, hanging up his cellphone and looking at Vala.

"Do you think I didn't check if he had a fever Daniel?" Vala snapped as she walked around the livingroom, bouncing Lukas in her arms.

"I'm just asking Vala," Daniel said with a sigh. "Let me see him." Vala handed Lukas over and sat down on the couch, her hands immediately went to her face, covering her eyes. Lukas continued to cry as Daniel cuddled Lukas to his chest. "Sssh buddy."

"He doesn't stop, at all," Vala sighed. "Daniel, it's been four days. He's not hungry, he's not wet, he's properly exhausted like I am."

"Umm," Daniel said pressing his lips to Lukas' head. "Tylenol, let's try that, and I'll call the doctor." Watching Vala leave the room, Daniel looked down at Lukas. "What's the problem buddy? You're making your mom go crazy, you know, you gotta be patient with us, we have no idea what we're doing here with you."

"Here," Vala said handing Daniel the syringe filled appropriately to Daniel. "Are you sure?"

"It can't do any harm, and he might just sleep," Daniel said settling himself on the couch, slipping the tube into Lukas' mouth, he pushed the half ml in and looked at Vala. "Do you want to grab me the phone? I want to call the doctor and see if we should take him in."

"What's wrong with him?" Vala asked as she looked at her son, wailing in Daniel's arms.

"I don't know," Daniel sighed as he held the phone to his ear. "Take him please?" Vala sighed and took Lukas back into her arms.

"Lukas, please, please, just a little time of quiet, and we can sleep, you'd like sleep," Vala spoke as she rubbed Lukas' back, as his wails quieted down. "I promise, you'd get to close those little eyes, and dream such sweet dreams." Vala rubbed Lukas' back as he settled down and moved his head back into her neck.

"We should take him in," Daniel announced hanging up the phone and looking at Vala. "He doesn't have a fever, but they think we should check him out. I'll go pack a bag."

"We're just going to lay here a bit," Vala replied moving to the couch, sitting down, settling Lukas on her chest.

Nodding, Daniel moved up the stairs and into the nursery, not that Lukas had been sleeping in here, for the last few days he had been in their bed, tucked between the two of them, each rubbing his belly until his crying had stopped. He grabbed the diaper bag siting on the dresser, and grabbed a few essentials- diapers, pjs, extra blankets, and a few of his favourite toys.

Walking downstairs Daniel looked at Vala, asleep on the couch, Luke on her chest. He stood and stared silently at the two, it seemed the tylonel worked, and he was at peace. Vala opened her eyes and looked at Daniel, he could tell she was more exhausted that he'd ever seen.

Pointing to the car, Vala nodded and tightly wrapped Luke in his blanket, before standing up, and moving towards the door. Daniel reached for Luke, and tucked his son into his chest as Vala slipped her boots and coat on.

"How is he?" Jack asked as he slipped into Daniel's office, staring at his friend. "You look like crap."

"He has an ear infection, finally sleeping, but Vala hasn't slept for a week, and Luke doesn't sleep," Daniel explained rubbing his face. "Having kids suck."

"Well Danny boy," Jack said clasping his hand on Daniel's shoulder. "It only sucks when they're sick. I'm sure Luke will get better soon. Doc got him on meds?"

"Yeah, which helps him sleep, but it doesn't help Vala," Daniel replied. "Why are you here?"

"Day off at the academy," Jack shrugged sitting down. "Figured I'd come and bug Carter, but she's in a meeting, why did I tell her to take command of the base?"

"Because its only an interim position?" Daniel asked looking at Jack with a yawn. "I need to sleep."

"Why don't you and the Princess drop Luke off to me and Sam, and you two, can do whatever you want," Jack suggested picking up an artifact on Daniel's desk.

"Thanks, but he's sick, I'd rather him with us," Daniel said snatching back the object. "Don't play with that Jack."

"Just an offer," he said giving a grin. "You could, you know, sleep."

It was true, they could sleep, he knew he needed a good night sleep, and every day he was tempted to stay on base, but knew that was just the exhaustion talking. He could curl into their bed on base, and just sleep. But Vala, she'd be home with his son, and they'd be pacing back and forth, he would be wailing, and Vala would be trying to calm him down.

Luke had been sleeping more and longer, but the lack of sleep was starting to get to both of them.

Vala placed Lukas in his crib, as she watched his eyes close and his face at rest. She sighed softly and ran her finger over his cheek. He was better, doing better, being more like the Luke she gave birth to two months ago.

Moving into their bedroom across the hall, Vala climbed into bed, letting her head hit the pillow, if it was one thing she learnt from being a mother to Luke, when the baby slept, she slept.

Closing her eyes she let sleep take over, one ear still listening for Lukas. Sam had joked before the baby was born, she wasn't going to sleep for the next eighteen years, and it definitely feeling that way.

Daniel went back to work almost immediately after they brought Lukas home, and she had been home alone with him since then. Days spent with Luke, waking up at 6am when he wakes up, and Daniel is sitting in the chair feeding him, then she'd change him, they'd eat breakfast as a family, and Daniel would leave, then there was the morning nap, and Vala would have the chance to shower, and clean the house, do the laundry, and then there would be lunch time, and afternoon nap, and then Daniel was home, and then her favourite time of the day, bedtime, she'd sit in the nursery, only his lamp on, and she'd breast feed her son. Stroking his head, telling him stories of her life, and her plans for his future.

She heard the front door close, and noting Daniel's steps, and relaxed into her pillow more. It was odd for Daniel to come home so early, as it was only afternoon naptime, but hearing the door to the nursery shut softly, and his body weight next to her on the bed she sighed.

"Hi," she whispered. "You're home early."

"Jack and Sam, they offered to take Lukas for the night," he mumbled wrapping his arm around her, and burring his face into her neck. "We could sleep. Really sleep."

"He's sleeping right now," Vala mumbled turning around and cuddling into his body. "Thank you, for coming home."

"You're welcome," Daniel mumbled closing his eyes, drifting off into sleep. The moment he heard Lukas' wails, Daniel's eyes shot open, and he already noticed Vala was gone. Blinking he looked at the clock, 3pm, they'd be sleeping for three hours, and he moved quickly to the nursery seeing Vala changing their son.

"I didn't hear him," Daniel said rubbing his eyes.

"Mother's ear," Vala smiled as she leaned down and placed a raspberry on Luke's stomach, as he squealed in delight. Both grinned brightly at the laughter, and thanking silently that it wasn't his cries. "I don't know about sending him off for the night," Vala continued as she did up his onsie and pulling a pair of pants over his legs. "Not while he's sick."

"That's what I said, but who do we trust more with Luke? And Vala, neither of us has slept since he got sick, over a week ago," Daniel explained as he took the baby from Vala.

Vala looked at Daniel, and then at Lukas, before nodding her head. "You're right."

"Always am," Daniel winked as he kissed Lukas' head. "What do you say Buddy, want to go spend the night with Auntie Sam and Uncle Jack?" Not expecting his response, Daniel and Vala walked downstairs.


	11. Chapter 11

_I'd like to thank everyone! For their support in this story. I'm starting my brand new job-a teacher!, so updates will not be regular, I will try and get one up a month, but there is no guarantee! I am also very willing to accept suggestions of what you'd like to see. Fairwarning, I will be attacking some Sam/Jack and Cameron/Penny stories soon as well. It's only natural!_

_Also, none of my scene breaks are going correctly, this is slightly driving me batshit. Please forgive._

July 2010

Vala smiled looking at Lukas as he reached for his feet, trying to put them in his mouth. Watching Lukas grow everyday was something Vala cherished. She laughed at his little giggle, and moved into the kitchen, keeping a watchful eye on the playpen.

"Vala?" a voice called from the entry way as Vala moved placing the water jug down.

"Samantha," she smiled brightly looking at the woman, who was followed by Dash, on his leash. Sam bent down and undid the leash to let Dash run and jump onto the couch.

"Hey," she greeted moving towards the playpen. "Hi Luke!"

"What are you doing here?" Vala asked as Sam carried Luke into the kitchen, on her hip.

"Oh, just thinking that maybe you two would like to go for a walk, to the park maybe? I brought Dash!" Sam asked hopefully, readjusting Lukas on her hip.

"We would love to," Vala smiled, "just let me go grab his diaper bag, if you want to put him in the stroller. "

"Of course!" Sam beamed as she turned heal and walked towards the entrance way, to where the stroller sat. "We're going for a walk Luke! Yes a walk, because Auntie Sam has some really good news," she told the baby with a smile. "You're going to be cousin soon, but we're not going to tell mommy. Auntie Sam doesn't want to jinx it, and she loves you, she really does," placing him in the stroller Sam got onto her knees to buckle him in. "but Auntie Sam really loves this baby already, and she wants this baby, to be just like you."

"Can you put the blanket on him?" Vala asked handing Sam a blanket and putting the diaper bag onto the stroller.

"Of course," Sam smiled. "I figured you'd like to get out of the house, Daniel mentioned you might need some time out of the house, I'm thinking a nice walk, and we can take Luke to the park."

"Sounds amazing," Vala smiled as she put Dash's leash back on, and the puppy started running around. "Thank you. I'm slowly going wonko cooped up in this house."

"Well, let's not let that happen," Sam said as they two walked out of the house. "Now that this little boy is better, we can go out more."

Vala nodded and the two stepped out into the sunny weather that was July in Colorado. The two moved down the street, talking, laughing and taking turns pushing the baby and walking Dash.

"Have you thought about what you want to do?"

"What do you mean?" Vala asked as she leaned forward to check on Lukas who grinned back at his mother.

"About work, do you want to come back to the SGC, or?" Sam asked slipping her hands into her jacket pockets.

"Honestly, I don't know," Vala replied with a sigh. "I love being home with Luke, love being with him, having a home, a real home. I belong here, I think."

"You do belong here Vala," Sam said touching her friend's hand. "You belong with us, and you belong with Daniel, and you and Lukas belong with us."

"I just don't know if I want to go back to working, when there is so much of Lukas to miss," Vala explained. "I just don't want to miss that."

"You don't have to miss it Vala, no one is pushing you to come back to work, you're a wonderful mother, and if that's all you want to be, then that's the best thing for you and Luke," Sam explained warmly.

"I don't want him to end up like I did, with a parent never there," she explained. "Except I don't know what else I could do besides work at the SGC."

"We can always think of something when and if you decide to go back to work, if I wouldn't want to leave Luke either if I were you," she grinned as Vala nodded.

Mere years ago she was running from bounty hunters, and stealing, and now she was pushing a baby stroller with her four month old son, and happy. Not just happy, but truly content in life, and she had no desire to run, whatsoever.

There was a small part of her that wanted Lukas to know his grandparents, chasing Jacek down and introducing her son to him, going to find her mother, Elana, and give her the chance to be proud of her. There was a sense of pride when people saw her with Lukas, and smiling at his nature, and saying how cute he was, and she loved Lukas move everyday.

By the time they arrived back at the house, Lukas was fast asleep, and Sam offered to put him down, as Vala moved into the kitchen, and she glanced at the time, before pulling out some frozen sausages from the freezer. Upon living together, she and Daniel would take turns cooking, the best they knew how, which wasn't the greatest, but at least they were trying. They figured a few years of practice before Lukas started bringing home friends for dinner was all they needed.

"He's asleep. Dash is under the crib." Sam smiled as she leaned on the counter. "I think Dashy likes Luke more than he likes me."

"I'm sure he doesn't," Vala smiled. "Thank you Samantha, for everything."

"Anytime," she smiled with a big grin. "So, you and Daniel still thinking of taking a weekend vacation?"

"Daniel is planning it all," Vala explained. "You and Jack still willing to watch Luke?"

"Of course, Jack loves him, and you know, I like him a bit," Sam teased taking the glass of water Vala handed her. "Besides, it not like both of you wont be calling every day."

Vala laughed and leaned down on the countertop looking at her friend. "You have a secret."

"What?"

"You have a secret Samantha," Vala repeated looking at her friend, "I used to keep a lot of secrets, and I know the face. You have a secret."

Sam just smiled and shook her head, moving into the livingroom, taking a quick glance at the baby monitor, which showed Lukas in his crib, bum in the air. "He's getting so big Vala."

Vala smiled and walked to look at the monitor, and smiled at her son. He was the love of her life, and everyday looked more and more like Daniel.

* * *

><p>"Thanks again for watching him," Daniel said as he held Lukas, as Vala and Sam were setting up the spare room for the baby. He was holding him like a potato sack, so that the little boy was back to his chest.<p>

"Yasureyabetcha," Jack said dismissively as he watched Lukas lean forward. "Give him to me."

"Really Jack, I know this is a bit hard for you," Daniel started as he passed the baby to Jack, who just shrugged. "We really appreciate it, and I know Luke loves you."

"Of course he loves Uncle Jack," he replied holding Lukas to his lips and blowing a raspberry on his naked belly. Being one of the hottest days of the year, Vala had opted to leave Lukas in only his diaper, which seamed best for the baby, who generally didn't like to wear clothing and always fused when it came to being dressed. "Don't you champ?" Not getting a response Jack let Lukas suck on his knuckle as he sat down in his recliner. "You know Daniel, I've done this before, taken care of a baby."

"Of course, I know you have, " Daniel replied taking a breath and looking at Jack interact with his son.

"Okay, so you have everything, and you know if you need anything from the house, just go get it," Vala said as the two walked into the livingroom. "And call us, for anything."

"Don't worry about him," Jack announced. "Just go enjoy yourselves."

"Okay, just let me say goodbye to my baby," Vala said reaching for Lukas, lifting his face to hers and placing a kiss on his nose and lips. "I love you, love you." Daniel moved and placed a kiss on Lukas' head.

"Behave for your Uncle Jack and Aunt Sam," Daniel said kissing the baby's head again.

"Of course he will," Sam smiled prying the baby from Vala's arms. "Now go, we will be fine, Lukas will be great."

Daniel leaned and kissed Sam's cheek before kissing Lukas' head again, and Vala pressed her lips to Lukas' head before the two were basically pushed out of the house.

"Let's go before we change our minds," Daniel said guiding Vala by the elbow down the driveway to the car.

"Daniel, are we doing the right thing? Leaving Luke?" Vala asked as she opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat.

"We're going to be 4 hours away, and I'm sure the moment we leave, Teal'c will be joining the house," Daniel reasoned as he climbed in himself. "Its bizarre leaving him isn't it?"

"Yes," Vala said. "I, I'm glad we're doing this Daniel."

"Me too," Daniel smiled reaching over and squeezing her hand. "I love you."

"Me too," Vala said as she took in a deep breath and watched the house where her son was, vanish from sight. Getting away and focusing on them was a good thing, she kept telling herself over and over again.

Daniel realized early on that being the stay at home mom, at least for her maternity leave, was driving her stir crazy. And now that it was technically over by three months already, Vala didn't feel comfortable leaving Lukas with daycare, and he didn't want some strange woman looking after his son.

"Daniel?"

"Hmm?" Daniel asked glancing over at Vala as they drove down the road.

"I think I want to quit the SGC, I want to stay home with Luke," Vala said pointedly.

"Okay," Daniel said nodding his head. "Okay, we can do that."

Smiling Vala leaned her head against the passenger window, "I miss him already."

"I know, me too, but he's in the best hands other than his parents," Daniel replied as he watched Vala pull out her cellphone. Smiling he listened as she typed a message away, and stared at it, awaiting the reply, which she got moments later, with a large smile spreading across her face. "What?"

"Look," she said turning the phone towards Daniel, a picture of Lukas squealing in delight, as he was held by Jack, as Dash was attempting to lick his face, as the two sat in a kiddie pool. "He looks so happy Daniel."

"He's a happy boy," Daniel laughed.

* * *

><p>"Jack, can you get me his towel?" Sam called from the bathroom where she was giving Lukas his bath.<p>

"Yasure," Jack mumbled walking in and seeing the little boy, being propped up by his bumbo, and having a soapy head smiling and splashing in the water. "He loves all this water!"

"He really does," Sam smiled as she poured the cup of water and rinsing the soap from the baby's head. "There you go buddy," lifting him out of the water, Sam placed him the towel Jack held waiting and let him hold the baby.

"You're going to make a really, really great mom," Jack smiled as he wrapped Lukas tightly in the towel and held the squirming baby. Sam said nothing but kissed his lips and took Lukas from his arms.

"Come here, lets get some jammies on and then Uncle Jack and you can watch some Hockey, and then bedtime!" Sam said talking to the baby who laid his head on Sam's shoulder.

"There is no hockey on," Jack said as he followed Sam out of the bathroom.

"PVR," Sam replied with a grin. "I PVR'd the entire season."

"There is a reason I love you," he grinned happily bouncing into the spare room, that housed the playpen for Lukas. "You got the Canucks?"

"Every game," Sam replied laying down Lukas on the bed. "Pass me a diaper please."

"Here," Jack said slapping a diaper into her waiting hand in pretend exasperation.

"Uncle Jack is going to go get that bedtime bottle ready," Sam suggested as she slipped the diaper under Lukas. "Lukas, Lukas, Lukas!"

* * *

><p>"Daniel! Look!" Vala called loudly in excitement from the livingroom as she stared at Lukas.<p>

"What?" Daniel asked running into the livingroom and grinned brightly at what he saw, Lukas was sitting up, on his own, a large toothless grin on his face. "Lukas! You're sitting up!"

"He's sitting up!" Vala said excitedly wrapping her arms around his, staring at their son, before he fell on his back and giggled, as Daniel moved to picked up his son.

"You're getting so big buddy," he smiled kissing his head and looked at Vala, they had picked Lukas up mere hours ago from Sam and Jack's, and the little boy was ever so excited to be back with his parents, and toys. Not like he didn't have toys everywhere he went, but both could tell, there was no place like home for Lukas.

The boy babbled in sounds as he looked at Daniel and reached for his glasses, as Daniel moved his head backwards. "No, no, no glasses." At the word no, Lukas' face scrunched up as if he was going to cry, "Oh no," Daniel said as the baby burst into wails.

"Give him here," Vala said reaching for their son, who continued to wail at the transfer, and until Vala's hand rubbed over his t-shirt clad back.

"Vala, you can't just comfort him every time we tell him no," Daniel protested with a sigh. "How will he learn?"

"He's just a baby," Vala countered, kissing Lukas' head and set him in his bouncy saucer, and let him play.

"Vala, that is going to change, quickly," Daniel said as he bent down to play with Lukas. "If we don't start teaching him no, then he's never going to know what its like not to get his way."

Taking a deep breath, Vala leaned down and looked at Daniel, and then at Lukas. "Let's not do this in front of him."

"Do what?"

"Have the fight over this," Vala said irritably. Daniel stood up and moved into the kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out a bottle, and walked back into the living room. She was right, they were going to have a fight later, and they had vowed never to fight in front of Lukas, it wasn't fair for him to see his parents at odds.

"Why don't you go take a nap with Lukas," Daniel said shortly, handing Vala the bottle in his hands.

"Fine," Vala said taking a hold of her son, and placing him on her hip, and leaving the livingroom.

Daniel groaned and walked into the kitchen, taking his keys, and wallet, and shoving them into his pocket, before moving towards the front door, as he listened for Lukas to stop crying, before he open and shut the door.


	12. Chapter 12

September 2010

"Remember, you're from Toronto," Daniel reminded Vala as they stepped off the plane, looking at Vala who readjusted Lukas on her hip.

"I know Daniel, don't say anything out of the ordinary," Vala sighed with mild annoyance. He could tell she was on edge, with Lukas' first flight, the baby did not settle down, and cried the entire way to New York. He wouldn't let Daniel hold him, and clung to Vala when they tried to move parents.

"I'm sorry," he said touching her shoulder with his spare hand. "I'm going to go get our bags, and the stroller."

"I'm going to change his diaper, and feed him," Vala replied as she pointed to the bathroom sign.

"Okay, I'll meet you here in 10?" Vala nodded and moved through the crowd, as Lukas started to cry.

"Baby boy," Vala whispered into Lukas' ear, holding him to her chest. "Mummy knows you're cranky," she continued pushing through into the bathroom marked "Family Room". Finding it empty, Vala sighed and made sure the door was closed before laying Lukas down. "I don't think I like flying without artificial gravity either."

Vala continued to talk to Lukas, who laughed as she pressed her lips to his feet, and blew raspberries onto them. She didn't notice when the door opened and a voice behind her said.

"You finished here?" a young woman, looking no older than 17, said as she readjusted the baby in her arms.

"Oh, yes," Vala said lifting Lukas up, and looking more closely at the girl, and the baby. The teenager looked exhausted, worse than she ever did. "How old is she?"

"Four months," the teenager replied. "Him?"

"Seven, it gets easier, she'll sleep, and so will you," Vala said letting the teenager to the changing table. "Come Lukas, lets go find Daddy." Walking out of the bathroom, Vala smiled when she saw Daniel standing in the same spot he said he was, with their luggage, and stroller. He was talking with a woman, she assumed to be Leah, as Daniel was not much for conversation with strangers. When he noticed her, he smiled and waved, and Vala felt a surge of happiness fill her.

They were both in need of this vacation, the stress of Daniel working, and being new parents was getting to them, and when he mentioned he'd like to take them to New York, she was almost thrilled to be able to get out of the house. It was like they were taking a vacation, then she realized he was bringing her to meet "the parents". Which she had to admit, was the first time, and it just so happened months after Lukas was born. She knew Daniel wanted to go earlier, but with the baby getting sick, and the work that was piling up at the SGC, he just didn't find the time until now.

"Vala!" Daniel called upon seeing Vala walk towards him. "Vala, this is Leah, Leah, this is Vala and our son Lukas," Daniel introduced with a huge grin, as he reached over and took Luke from Vala's arms.

"It's so nice to meet you Vala," Leah smiled shaking her hand.

"You too," Vala replied politely.

"You have no idea how excited we all were when we found out a woman tamed our Indiana Jones, let alone reproduced with him, we decided you must be Wonder woman!" Leah said as she reached for Lukas, and settled him onto her hip. "Come, Mom and Dad are dying to meet both of you. And see Daniel, because apparently he likes to go M.I.A. far to often," she rambled as Daniel picked up the bags, as Vala pushed the stroller, following Leah. "Now, I hope you don't mind, but I hate taking cabs, so I brought the car, it's a little tight, so one of you has to sit in the backseat with Lukas, but I can make sure the carseat fit on the side. I always used to put Krista back there when she was young," Leah rambled on. Daniel leaned over and kissed Vala's lips very briefly as they walked following Leah.

The house was quiet, Ellen and Henry took Lukas out for the day, probably to the precinct to show him off, and even his slight movements in the house weren't heard, as he stood and stared at Vala, who was standing in front of the mantle, admiring pictures. He knew she could feel his presence as he entered the room, but she didn't move.

"Dance with me," he whispered as he took her hand, and pulled her into his arms. Vala went willingly as she laid her head on his shoulder, as they danced together, only sounds guiding their movements was the traffic outside and children playing. Swaying back and forth ever so softly Daniel held Vala. "I'm sorry, for everything."

"Daniel…"

"No listen," he said stopping her. "I grew up in such a loving house, where fighting was a rarity. We fight a lot Vala," watching her mouth open, Daniel shook his head. "Its true Vala, we fight about everything. And I want to say that its not who we are, not who we should be. I know this is new for both of us, I really do, but I want you to know that I'm willing to make this work with us."

"Daniel," Vala whispered against his shoulder, as his hands made soothing circles on the small of her back.

"I love you, I truly, truly love you, and love Luke," he continued. "You two are the best thing to ever happen to me. I know I don't always say it, but I am happy."

The two stood in silence, as Vala rested her head on Daniel's shoulder. "I love you too."

"This was my first piano recital," Daniel said picking up the frame on the mantle. "I was 11, and just came to live with Mom and Dad, she had a recital for her students and Mom thought it would be a good idea if I came. It was after the show, and Mom was off talking to parents, I remember sitting down at the piano, and just started playing. Dad took the picture, he said that night that if they could help it, I was never going to another foster home."

"Why do you call them Mom and Dad?"

"They were parents to me, the only ones I had since my parents died. They loved me, truly loved me, and Leah kept telling everyone I was her brother, and not to pick on me. First time I had that. I love this family." Moving down the line, Daniel smiled at the picture of Luke. "I know that they would be the only family I lived with that would proudly display Luke on their mantel."

"Who's this?" Vala asked picking up a picture and handing it to Daniel.

"That's Krista, Leah's step daughter," Daniel explained. "She has to be fourteen or fifteen now," he continued. "She should be coming over for the weekend."

"We're home," a voice called from the doorway, as Daniel and Vala turned as Henry walked into the livingroom.

"Oh look who's here Luke? Mommy and Daddy," Henry grinned as he held Lukas like a football. The little boy squealed in delight upon seeing his parents and reached forward.

"Come here," Vala smiled brightly taking Luke, who laughed in delight. "Was he good?"

"As any boy would be," Henry replied. "How was your afternoon?"

"Oh I went down to the store, got things for dinner," Daniel answered. "Where's mom?"

"Right here," Ellen replied. "Daniel be a good boy, can you empty out the trunk?"

"Mom what did you buy?" Daniel asked with a sigh, looking at the woman who just smiled.

"We just did a bit of shopping for Luke and Krista," Ellen replied.

"You didn't have to do that Mrs. MacLean," Vala said as Daniel shook his head and walked out of the room.

"Nonsense, it's a grandmother thing," Ellen replied with a smile. "Didn't your grandmother ever buy you things out of the blue?"

"No," Vala replied, as she sat Lukas in the play pen that was set up. "They were never really in my life."

"Well, let's not dwell," Ellen smiled.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" Vala exclaimed as she stood in Sam's bedroom, staring at the woman lying in bed, laptop plastered on her knees.

"I told Luke!" Sam grinned as Vala put Lukas on the bed, as the little boy pushed his body towards his aunt. "How was your vacation?"

"Don't change the subject," Vala said sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Teal'c mentioned you're on bedrest?"

"That I am," Sam sighed. "Give me a kiss little boy," she grinned as Lukas gave her a kiss on her lips. "I missed you."

"So how long are you," Vala started.

"On bedrest? Until I deliver it seems," Sam finished with a long sigh. "The doctor thinks its best for the baby, its already longer than the last."

"I'm happy for you," Vala smiled. "What do you plan to do lying in bed?"

"Write a book, catch up on some sleep, whine, complain, drive Jack crazy," Sam said with a large grin, as Jack appeared in the doorway. "Hi."

"Gonna head out, base needs me," Jack replied. "Make sure she stays in bed, and no stressing over the base."

"Of course," Vala smiled as Lukas who heard his uncle's voice, perked up and squealed.

"Hi Slugger," Jack grinned and waved, before he winked and tapped the doorframe before disappearing.

"How was your and Daniel's trip?" Sam asked as she cuddled Lukas into her body.

"Good, definitely worth it," Vala smiled as she kicked off her shoes, to sit crosslegged on the bed. "We talked a lot."

"No more problems?" Sam asked, knowing that the couple were fighting more than usual.

"Didn't say that," Vala sighed. "But its better."


	13. Chapter 13

November 2009

Vala laid her head against the cold porcelain of the toilet, she had taken up waking up before Daniel to empty her stomach. It had been six weeks, her body felt the same way it did when she was pregnant with Lukas. The hardness in her lower abdomen was round, and her pants were tighter than normal.

"Vala?" Daniel said softly from the doorway to their en-suite bathroom. Looking at his partner, he moved, grabbing a cloth from the sink. "Honey, you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine Daniel," Vala lied with a sigh, as she leaned backwards against the wall.

Placing the cool cloth to her forehead, Daniel sat beside her, putting his arm around her shoulders. "How long have you known?"

"I, I," Vala said softly, before taking a breath. "I've suspected for a while," she replied.

"Were you going to tell me?"

"I didn't want to until I knew for sure," Vala replied. "Lukas is so young as is…"

"He is," Daniel agreed as he took Vala into his arms, she went willingly and took a breath.

"Dr. Pierce says I'm about eight weeks," Vala explained. "Which means the baby will be due at the end of May."

Sitting a moment in silence, Daniel rubbed circles on Vala's arms, as he took in the news. She was right, Lukas wasn't even a year old, he was already a handful, which made him wonder, could they take care of two babies?

They hadn't really discussed having a second baby, it wasn't like he wasn't happy, he was ecstatic at the idea of having another child. But ultimately it was Vala's choice, as the primary caregiver of Lukas, and the baby…

"I don't know if I can do it Daniel."

"Take care of a second baby?" Daniel asked softly as Vala nodded her head. "You don't have to."

"I can't," she mumbled. "Daniel, this baby wont make our problems better."

"No, but we can try harder," Daniel offered. "I meant what I said at my parents, I love you two, and bringing a third means I will love him or her just as much."

Vala nodded her head, as the cries of Lukas rang through their ears. Sighing she pulled herself to stand, holding her hand out for Daniel. "Okay," she said. "We can do this right?"

"Right," Daniel said as the two walked hand in hand out of the bathroom. "We beat the odds all the time Vala, surprise even ourselves."

"I know."

Leaning his head, Daniel kissed her lips quickly. "Never forget I love you."

"Cameron?" Penny asked looking at the man, who was currently staring at his phone.

"Yeah Babycakes?" he asked absently, not looking up from his cellphone. Sighing she sat down on the couch and looked at him.

"I don't think Colonel Carter and Miss Mal Doran like me," she said. "I'm not sad at all, but…"

"Nonesense Penny, they're just protective of who they let in," Cameron replied. "Really, as soon as we can get you clearance, you'll understand them better, and they'll learn to let you in more."

Penny stared at Cameron and leaned her head on his shoulder. "I just feel like an outsider with your group of friends."

"Penny," Cameron said putting his phone on the coffee table. "I didn't know you felt that way, we've all been through a lot together, and we just get things about each other. Look I'll talk to Sam and Vala."

"Cameron, don't do that," Penny said holding up her hand.

"How about this then," Cameron said looking at Penny. "We throw a dinner party, invite Jackson, Vala, the O'Neills, and then a few of your friends."

"Oh that sounds like fun, on the roof of the building would be best, we can get some of those string lanterns," Penny smiled. "Oh, but what about Teal'c?"

"You have a single friend right?" Cameron grinned as Penny leaned back into the couch and laughed. "What, I'm serious?"

"Cameron, I'm not allowed to be on my feet," Sam explained from her spot on Jack's Lazy-Boy.

"What if we do thanksgiving? That way you can stay in the livingroom, on my recliner?" Cameron asked with a smile. "Please, it would mean the world to Penny."

"Really? I had a feeling she wasn't a fan of us," Sam confessed as she let Cameron take a place on the bed beside her.

"You tell her I told you this, she'll kill me, but she thinks you and Vala don't like her, so if you'd say yes," Cameron started as Sam quickly cut him off.

"We don't hate her," she explained. "And Cameron, I really can't get up, the baby's health is at risk. However," she paused. "How do you feel about throwing a dinner party here? That way I'm not putting the baby here in danger, do you think she'll go for that?"

"I think so," Cameron smiled. "Thanks Sam, really, she means the world to me."

"I can tell," Sam smiled. "Now as I don't get to leave this bed, which means I don't get the good gossip," she said flashing the mega-watt smile.

"I'm under orders not to tell you about whats happening on the base, General O'Neill says he has the base under control, just like last time," Cameron explained with a straight face. "Seriously, the base is fine, busy as usual. General O'Neill is a great commander."

"He always has been," Sam smiled, feeling a smidge jealous that the SGC was going on without her. After the brief stint on the Hammond and she was offered the intrim position as base commander, Sam felt like she made it all the way, accomplished all her dreams.

"Sam, you are missed at base, Dr. Lee is trying to convince General O'Neill to video conference with you on a closed circuit feed, so you could help," Cameron explained giving Sam a nudge.

"He didn't tell me that," Sam said with a gruff.

"Maybe he wants it to be a surprise?" he said quickly, realizing he said something he shouldn't have. "I have to get back to the base though, I have a briefing in an hour. Take care."

"Thanks Cam, you too," Sam smiled as she watched him stand and wave at the doorframe. Leaning back into her bed, Sam sighed. She was bored, not in the past 20 years has she had this much time off. She had been officially lying in bed for close to three months, and was 5 months pregnant. Her belly popped a few days ago, she just popped into a round ball, or as Jack said, the watermelon she was hiding under her shirt. Every day Jack went back to the base, taking her position, her command, while she laid in bed. Everyday he came home, it was the time she used to be on her feet, to make dinner for the two, and they would lay on the couch and watch TV together, he'd fill her in on the day.

Sometimes she'd get visitors, Vala would bring Lukas over, but lately, even they were once a week. Teal'c would come, and he would massage her back, and feet, and they'd sit in silence. Daniel would come over, and they would lay in bed, watching the history channel, or Discovery. But that was rare too now. Cameron came over sporadically, usually on his lunch, as his days off he was spending with Penny.

She had to admit, there was something going on with Daniel and Vala, she wasn't sure, but she had a feeling. Something about the two when they came to visit, it was all about Lukas, and nothing else, and usually she was the one who would listen to their problems.

Her thoughts were interrupted with the sound of wailing entering the house. Dash who was lying on the end of the bed perked up and jumped off the bed, running down the hall. Lukas, and judging by the time of day, it was Vala. Her suspicions became clear when Vala walked into the bedroom, Lukas on her hip, screaming.

"I'm just putting him down in the spareroom," Vala announced dropping the diaper bag, grabbing the bottle from its side. "Be right back." Dash who followed sniffed around the diaper bag before trotting to follow Vala.

Sam smiled softly, knowing that soon that was going to be her, a frazzled mother. Sam repositioned herself on the bed, putting her laptop aside as Vala walked back into the room, the wailing continued in the background.

"We just needed to get out of the house," Vala said sitting down. "How are you feeling?"

"Fat," she replied. "Bored, restless."

Vala smiled slightly and grabbed the remote from the end table. "Let's watch TV."

"What's going on with you?" Sam asked looking at her friend, as Vala looked at her, almost in shock.

"Nothing."

"That's what Daniel says, and I know you two are hiding something. I thought your problems were getting better?" Sam pushed, taking the remote from Vala's hand and muting.

"They are, there are different problems," Vala sighed. "We're pregnant."

"What?" Sam asked very excitedly as she leaned in to hug Vala. "I'm so happy. You're happy right?"

"We're dealing with it," Vala replied with a smile. "The second unplanned baby, this time we have a baby to think about."

"Oh Vala, I didn't think about Lukas," Sam sighed, as she gently touched her own stomach.

"Daniel and I are considering options," she said quietly. "The doctor says if I want an abortion, I need to decide soon, as I'll be hitting the three month mark soon. But I don't know if that's right."

"Never feel pressured to keep the baby," Sam said softly holding her friend's hand.

"I don't think I could give the baby up for adoption, Lukas would have pictures of the pregnancy, and would hate me for giving up his brother or sister," she went on as Sam nodded. "It's harder than with Lukas."

"Whatever choice you make Vala," Sam replied softly. "Hey do you hear that?"

"What?" Vala asked, as a smile spread over her face. "He's sleeping! He's teething, and has been up since four this morning. Daniel left for the base early, and he hasn't stopped crying since. Sam how am I supposed to take care of a newborn with Lukas?"

"You're a mom Vala, a good mom, I'm sure that no matter what happens, you'll be able to handle both," she said softly. "If I can handle being in bed every day for six months, you can do anything."

"You're right."

"I always am," Sam laughed. "Now tell me, on a scale of one to ten, how excited are you?"

His mind was spinning, had been since this morning. He had an idea, truly he did, Vala was getting up early everyday, and taking a shower, yet her hair was never washed, and she would take a bath at night. He remembered the nights he'd spend with Vala while she was pregnant, in her first trimester, she'd be vomiting every morning. It all made sense the moment he walked into the bathroom.

Were they ready to be parents again? He wasn't even sure if they were good enough parents at the moment to Lukas, they were doing the best they could, of course, but that meant nothing. It meant everything.

Lukas was happy, and healthy. That's all that mattered.

Their problems, a bit better, they weren't fighting as much as normal, and never in front of Lukas. They were better. Having his parents take Lukas while in New York was what they needed, time to themselves, with someone they trusted to take care of their son. They trusted Sam, Jack, Cameron and Teal'c, but it wasn't the same, only Teal'c had raised a child, and he said it was never the same. Cameron always said his giant family was just like raising children, of those younger. But it was their son, and soon, there was going to be two babies.

Two babies.

He never even thought he'd be the father to one, let alone two. He knew Vala, really knew Vala, she'd never give their baby up, she was more frightened over it, and thought about all possibilities, it was the way Vala was. She matured in the years.

He matured, a lot too. Life made it so. He knew that, Vala brightened his life, gave it a bit more spontaneity. Nothing was ever really planned with her, except the big decisions. Just the other day, she had woken him up, Lukas on her hip and proclaimed it as pool day, and that they were going to the waterpark in Denver. He looked at her like she was crazy, but that was Vala, just the morning at the waterpark with a shrieking with joy Lukas was something he'd never change.

Lukas loved the water, even at bath time he would shriek with joy and splash, and it usually ended up as if they had taken a bath with him. He was usually responsible for bath night, which was every night, and came out looking like he was in the bath with him.

Okay, so maybe they were good parents, they always made Lukas came first, they'd put their needs last, everything was Lukas, and soon, everything was Lukas and the new baby.

"Yo Dannyboy," Jack said as he walked into Daniel's office and sat down. "Can you remind me why I agreed to do this?"

"Do what?" Daniel asked putting his pencil down and looking at Jack.

"Taking control of the base again," Jack sighed.

"You know you asked me that at least a dozen times already," Daniel replied rubbing his eyes. "Why don't you go home early, see Sam?"

"Can't, have a meeting at 4," he said picking up the book sitting on Daniel's couch. "Really Danny, romance novel?"

"Vala's," Daniel replied. "Sometimes she reads them to Luke, and he falls asleep."

"So you and Vala gonna have another kid?" Jack asked after a moment of silence, which caused Daniel to shoot his head up like a deer in headlights.

"How did you know we're pregnant?" he asked making sure no one overheard.

"I didn't, that was just a question," Jack said standing up. "Daniel, you and Vala are having another baby?"

"Baby is due at the end of May," he conceded. "Look, we're not really ready to tell anyone yet. It needs to be about Lukas right now, and Vala isn't sure she wants to have another baby."

Jack looked at his friend and watched his eyes. After all these years, he could tell all of Daniel's looks and fears. It happens when you live out of each other's pockets for a decade. He could tell Daniel was worried, scared even.

"I'm sure she wont do what you're thinking," Jack shrugged, as he studied Daniel's face. "Daniel, you're in position where, its not really your decision."

"I know," Daniel sighed.

"Why don't I call Sam, you call Vala, we meet at our place, have lunch?" Jack suggested. "I'm sure both could use the company, besides Sam is bored."

"Sure," Daniel replied. "I could use the break."

"Not like you were getting anything done," Jack said with a knowing smile. Daniel looked down at his work, he was right. He was still on the same line of translation he started coming in this morning. Apparently this baby made him more distracted than he originally thought.


End file.
